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BX  8952  .R5"1888 
Rice,  Willard  M.  1817-1904. 
History  of  the  Presbyterian 
Board  of  Publication  and 


HISTORY 


Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication 


AND 


Sabbatli-Scliool  Work. 


PKEPARED  AT  THE  SUGGESTION  OF  THE  GENE- 
RAL ASSEMBLY  OF  1888,  UNDER  THE  DIREC- 
TION  OF  THE   SECRETARY, 


BY  THE 

REV.  WILLARD   M.  RICE,   D.D. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

PRESBYTERIAN  BOARD  OF  PUBLICATION 
AND  SABBATH-SCHOOL  WORK, 

1334  CHESTNUT  STREET. 


INTRODUCTION. 

BY  REV.  E.  R.  CRAVEN,  D.  D., 

Secretary  of  the  Board. 


The  General  Assembly  of  1886,  when  making  ar- 
rangements for  the  meeting  of  the  one  hundredth  As- 
sembly, passed  the  following  resolution: 

Resolved^  That  each  of  the  Boards  of  our  Church  be 
urged  to  provide  for  the  preparation  and  publication  of 
the  history  and  outlook  of  its  work,  and  arrange  for  the 
presentation  of  a  brief  synopsis  of  the  same  at  its  even- 
ing meeting  during  the  sessions  of  the  General  Assembly 
of  1888. 

In  compliance  with  the  first  part  of  this  resolution, 
the  Board  of  Publication  and  Sabbath-School  Work 
requested  its  Recording  Clerk,  the  Rev.  Willard  M. 
Rice,  D.  D.,  to  prepare  a  history  of  the  institution. 
This  work  could  not  have  been  committed  to  more 
competent  hands.  Dr.  Rice  has  been  associated  with 
the  institution  for  thirty  years,  having  been  appointed 
a  member  of  the  Old  School  Board  in  1860.  He  was 
appointed  Recording  Clerk  of  that  body  in  1862,  and 
in  that  office  he  was  continued  until  the  Reunion,  and 
since  that  event  to  the  present  time. 

The  work  as  prepared  by  Dr.  Rice  is  eminently  sat- 
isfactory.    It  is  accurate,  exhaustive  and  well  written. 


4  INTKODUCTION. 

It  presents  a  living  picture  of  the  operations  of  one 
of  the  most  important  agencies  of  the  Church. 

The  history  naturally  is  divided  into  four  parts : 

Part  I.  treats  of  the  actions  of  Assemblies  and 
Synods  in  reference  to  the  publication  of  religious  lit- 
erature previous  to  1838,  in  which  year  the  Board  was 
first  established  by  the  O.  S.  Assembly  as  "  The  Board 
of  Publication  of  Tracts  and  Sabbath-school  Books." 
It  notes  the  change  of  title  and  the  enlargement  of  the 
sphere  of  the  newly-formed  Board  in  the  following 
year,  and  then  traces  its  operations  and  its  gradual 
development  until  the  Reunion  in  1870. 

Part  II.  sets  forth  the  history  of  the  Presbyterian 
Publication  Committee  from  its  establishment  in  1852 
by  the  N.  S.  General  Assembly  until  the  Reunion. 

Part  III.  carries  on  the  history  from  the  Reunion  of 
the  churches  in  1870  until  the  reorganization  of  the 
Board  in  1887. 

Part  IV.  describes  the  institution  as  reorganized  by 
the  Assembly  of  1887  under  the  title  of  "  The  Pres- 
byterian Board  of  Publication  and  Sabbath-School 
Work."  It  contains  the  report  of  the  Special  Com- 
mittee appointed  by  the  Assembly  of  1886,  in  accord- 
ance with  whose  recommendation  the  reorganization 
was  effected,  and  also  a  complete  statement  of  the  work 
of  the  different  departments  since  the  reorganization. 

The  work  is  enriched  with  a  valuable  Appendix, 
which  contains  the  "  Charter  of  the  Board  ;"  tabulated 
statements  of  receipts  and  missionary  work ;  and  a  list 
of  all  the  members  since  the  beginning,  with  the  dates 
of  their  appointment  and  death  or  resignation. 


PRESBYTERIAN  BOARD  OF  PUBLICATION, 

1838—1870. 


PRESBYTERIAN  BOARD  OF  PUBLICATION. 


The  Presbyterian  Church  has  always  set  a  high 
estimate  upon  the  power  of  the  press.  Its  contri- 
butions to  every  department  of  literature  have  been 
varied  and  valuable.  In  our  own  country  from  the 
days  of  Makemie  until  now  its  ministers  have  made 
free  use  of  the  printed  page  for  the  dissemination  of 
religious  truth.  In  1735  the  Synod  of  Philadelphia, 
then  the  supreme  judicatory  of  the  Church,  appointed 
a  committee  for  the  supervision  of  whatever  its  mem- 
bers should  see  cause  to  prepare  for  the  press  upon 
any  controversy  in  religious  matters.  From  time  to 
time  through  the  eighteenth  century  the  Synod,  and 
afterward  the  General  Assembly,  directed  the  purchase 
and  distribution  of  Bibles  and  religious  books  among 
the  poor  and  on  the  frontiers,  and  the  publication  of 
the  Standards  of  the  Church,  etc.  In  the  early  part 
of  the  present  century  this  course  was  continued,  and 
appropriations  were  repeatedly  made  for  the  distri- 
bution of  books  among  the  needy  and  the  colored 
population.  In  1809  the  Assembly  recommended 
the  formation  of  synod ical  tract  societies  to  secure 
the  distribution  of  tracts  within  their  bounds.  Pres- 
byterians were  prominent  among  the  founders  of  the 
American  Bible  Society  in  1817,  the  American  Sun- 

7 


8  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

day-School  Union  in  1824,  and  the  American  Tract 
Society  in  1825.  No  denomination  of  Christians  con- 
tributed more  liberally  or  labored  more  energetically 
for  the  establishment  and  support  of  these  union 
agencies  for  the  dissemination  of  evangelical  truth. 
Some  of  our  most  prominent  ministers  and  members 
were  among  their  active  officers  and  managers,  and 
made  valuable  contributions  to  their  publications. 

TRACT  AND  SABBATH-SCHOOL    BOOK    SOCIETY. 

In  1833,  during  the  sessions  of  the  General  Assembly 
in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  the  idea  of  publishing 
works  treating  of  the  distinctive  doctrines  and  polity 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church  was  suggested  in  a  conver- 
sation among  a  few  friends.  Subsequent  conferences 
led  to  the  arrangement  of  a  plan  for  the  issue  of  tracts, 
the  publication  of  volumes  being  regarded  as  too 
expensive  and  hazardous.  In  October,  1833,  the  sub- 
ject was  brought  before  the  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia, 
and  the  following  overture  was  adopted,  and  ordered  to 
be  laid  before  the  Synod  of  Philadelphia  at  its  next 
ensuing  meeting: 

Whereas,  It  is  at  all  times  important,  and  peculiarly 
so  at  the  present  and  in  the  existing  circumstances  of  our 
Church,  that  effectual  care  be  taken  that  our  Catechisms 
and  other  doctrinal  Standards,  and  also  tracts  and  other 
/.publications  in  which  correct  views  of  Calvinistic  truth 
are  stated  and  defended,  should  be  circulated  abundantly 
among  the  people  of  our  denomination  ;  therefore. 

Resolved,  That  it  be,  and  it  hereby  is,  overtured  by  this 
Presbytery  to  the  Synod  of  Philadelphia  to  take  order  for 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  9 

the  establishment  of  a  Presbyterian  tract  society  within 
the  bounds  of  the  Synod,  in  order  that  the  people  of  all 
our  congregations  may  be  furnished  readily  and  at  a  mod- 
erate price  with  the  standard  and  other  authors  of  an  or- 
thodox Oalvinistic  character. 

This  overture,  and  a  similar  one  from  the  Presbytery 
of  Huntingdon,  were  presented  to  the  Synod  of  Phila- 
delphia in  November,  1833,  and  the  Synod  resolved  to 
"  constitute  a  board  of  managers  to  prepare,  publish 
and  circulate  Presbyterian  tracts  and  books  inculcating 
the  distinctive  doctrines  of  our  Standards,  which  board 
shall  be  known  as  'The  Board  of  Managers  of  the 
Presbyterian  Tract  and  Sabbath-School  Book  Society,' 
under  the  care  and  direction  of  the  Synod  of  Phila- 
delphia." 

A  board  of  managers  was  appointed  by  the  Synod, 
consisting  of  thirty  clergymen  and  eight  laymen,  who 
were  "  empowered  to  draft  such  by-laws  as  may  be  cal- 
culated to  carry  into  effect  the  objects  of  this  society, 
and  to  do  whatever  else  they  may  in  their  discretion 
judge  to  be  necessary  or  useful  to  promote  its  design." 
This  board  held  its  first  meeting  November  2,  1833, 
and  appointed  Kev.  Ashbel  Green,  D.  D.,  Rev.  John 
McDowell,  D.  D.,  Rev.  William  M.  Engles,  Rev. 
Samuel  G.  Winchester,  and  Messrs.  Solomon  Allen, 
Matthew  L.  Bevan,  A.  W.  Mitchell,  M.  D.,  and  Alex- 
ander Symington,  as  the  executive  committee.  Dr. 
Green  was  the  chairman  and  Rev.  S.  G.  Winchester 
secretary  of  this  first  committee.  Dr.  A.  W.  Mitchell 
was  appointed  treasurer,  and  the  Rev.  William  M. 
Engles  editor  of  the  publications.     A  publishing  com- 


10  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

mittee  was  also  appointed,  and  suitable  by-laws  were 
adopted. 

The  first  act  of  the  executive  committee  in  further- 
ance of  the  views  of  their  appointment  was  the  prepara- 
tion and  publication  of  a  circular  to  present  the  ^bject 
to  the  churches  and  solicit  co-operation.  Without 
funds,  without  suitable  tracts,  and  with  but  little 
general  interest  enlisted  in  their  behalf,  the  board  of 
managers  accomplished  but  little  during  the  first  twelve 
months  of  their  appointment.  They  were  not,  however, 
idle,  but  engaged  in  correspondence  to  procure  original 
tracts,  as  well  as  to  obtain  the  requisite  funds. 

In  the  year  1835,  they  began  the  work  of  publica- 
tion, and  Tracts  Nos.  1-4,  as  now  on  the  catalogue  of 
the  Board  of  Publication  and  Sabbath-School  Work, 
were  issued  and  favorably  received.  An  edition  of  the 
Shorter  Catechism,  with  Scripture  proofs,  was  also 
issued  as  "  Tract  No.  5." 

The  society  was  thus  far  without  funds,  except  the 
contributions  furnished  by  those  engaged  in  the  enter- 
prise and  a  few  other  friends.  In  the  year  1835  a 
contribution  of  four  hundred  and  six  dollars  was 
received  from  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  New 
York,  being,  as  it  is  believed,  the  first  donation  made 
to  the  object  by  any  church. 

During  the  next  three  years  Tracts  No.  6-18,  inclu- 
sive, were  issued.  In  the  report  to  the  Synod  of  1838 
it  is  stated  that  "  the  publications  were  steadily  gaining 
ground  in  our  churches,  the  demand  for  them  fully 
meeting  our  expectations."  The  amount  of  publica- 
tions from  the  origin  of  the  society  to  the  time  of  the 


BOAKD   OF   PUBLICATION.  11 

report  was  104,000  copies,  or  4,324,000  pages.  The 
total  of  receipts  amounted  to  $2439.74^.  The  stock 
or  property  of  the  society  was  as  follows : 

Stereotype  plates,  at  cost  $   720.00 

Outstanding  debts    1,300.00 

Stock  of  tracts  on  hand 600.00 

$2,620.00 

THE  assembly's  TRACT  AND  SABBATH-SCHOOL  BOARD. 

In  the  year  1838  the  subject  of  enlarging  the  sphere 
of. usefulness  of  the  society  by  placing  it  under  the 
care  of  the  General  Assembly  was  submitted  to  that 
body,  and  favorably  received.  Forty  ministers  and 
forty  elders  were  chosen  to  constitute  a  board,  to  be 
styled  "  The  Board  of  Publication  of  Tracts  and  Sab- 
bath-School Books  of  the  General  Assembly  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States  of  America," 
to  which  should  be  entrusted,  with  such  directions  and 
instructions  as  might  from  time  to  time  be  given  by  the 
General  Assembly,  the  superintendence  of  all  the  ope- 
rations of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  relation  to  the 
subject  of  tracts  and  Sabbath-school  books.  The  city 
of  Philadelphia  was  made  the  seat  of  operations  of  the 
Board,  and  it  was  empowered  and  authorized  to  receive 
a  transfer  of  the  Presbyterian  Tract  and  Sabbath- 
School  Book  Society,  then  under  the  care  of  the 
Synod  of  Philadelphia,  with  all  the  tracts,  books,  and 
funds  belonging  to  said  society. 

The  following-named  persons  were  elected  members 
of  this  Board : 


12 


BOAED   OF   PUBLICATION. 


MINISTERS. 

John  H.  Church,  D.  D. 

John  N.  Campbell,  D.  D. 

Wm.  Blain. 

Wm.  W.  Phillips,  D.  D. 

George  Potts. 

John  M.  Krebs. 

Nicholas  Murray. 

Samuel  Miller,  D.  D. 

A.  Alexander,  D.  D. 

John  Gray. 

A.  Green,*D.D. 

Wm.  M.  Engles. 

H.  A.  Boardman. 

C.  C.  Cuyler,  D.  D. 
Joseph  H.  Jones. 
E.  J.  Breckinridge. 
Joshua  Moore. 

G.  W.  Musgrave. 
Charles  C.  Beatty. 

D.  Elliott,  D,  D. 
James  Culbertson. 
James  Hoge,  D.  D. 
Joshua  L.  Wilson,  D.  D. 
John  L.  Belville. 

Wm.  C.  Matthews. 
James  W.  McKennan. 
Benjamin  F.  Spilman. 
William  K.  Stewart. 
W.  L.  Breckinridge. 
Andrew  Todd. 


LAYMEN. 

Ananias  Piatt. 
H.  Auchincloss. 
Henry  Rankin. 
Robert  Jaffray. 
James  Lenox. 
Thomas  McKeen. 
Wm.  Wilson. 
John  T.  WoodhuU. 
A.  W.Mitchell,  M.D. 
Alex.  Symington. 
Solomon  Allen. 
Joseph  B.  Mitchell. 

James  Russell. 

John  Stille. 
Matthew  Newkirk. 

George  Morris. 

H.  Denny. 

H.  H.  Leavitt. 
Nathaniel  Ewing. 

John  C.  Stockton. 

James  Johnson. 

John  MoUyneaux. 

Victor  King. 

James  M.  Ray. 

W.  A.  G.  Posey. 

Ebenezer  Flinn. 

Abijah  Bayless. 

James  Weir. 

P.  C.  Venable,  M.  D. 

J.  B.  Martin. 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION,  13 

MINISTERS.  LAYMEN. 

William  S.  Plumer.  J.  ^Y.  Pain. 

S.  B.  Wilson,  D.  D.  Robert  H.  Burton. 

James  Morrison.  Robert  H.  McEwen. 

Wm.  McPheeters,  D.  D.  Joseph  Biggar. 

John  T.  Edgar,  D.  D.  D.  C.  Campbell. 

John  Witherspoon,  D.  D.  John  R.  Witherspoon. 

John  Le  Roy  Davies.  Thomas  Henderson. 

Thomas  S.  Witherspoon.  Robert  H.  McNair. 

Samuel  G.  Winchester.  Thomas  Franklin. 

A.  B.  Lawrence.  P.  A.  Walker. 

The  Board  thus  elected  held  its  first  meeting,  by- 
direction  of  the  Assembly,  Wednesday,  May  30,  1838, 
in  the  Seventh  Presbyterian  Church,  Philadelphia,  and 
elected  the  following  officers : 

PresideMt — Rev.  Ashbel  Green,  D.  D. 
Vice-President. — James  Lenox. 
Treasurer.— A.  W.  Mitchell,  M.  D. 
Secretary. — Rev.  Joseph  H.  Jones. 
Editor.— Rev.  Wm.  M.  Engles,  D.  D. 

EXECUTIVE  COMMITTEE. 

Rev.  Henry  A.  Boardman  (Chairman). 
C  C.  Cuyler,  D.  D.  A.  Symington. 

Wm.  M.  Engles,  D.  D.     Solomon  Allen. 
Rev.  J.  H.  Jones,  ex-off.   A. W.  Mitchell,  M.D.,  e;c-o/. 
Joseph  B.  Mitchell.  James  Russell  (Secretary). 

At  the  subsequent  meeting  of  the  Synod  of  Phila- 
delphia, in  October,  1838,  it  was — 


14  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

Resolved,  That  the  Presbyterian  Tract  and  Sabbath- 
School  Book  Society,  now  under  the  care  of  this  Synod, 
shall  be  dissolved  at  and  after  the  meeting  of  the  next 
Assembly,  and  its  funds,  books,  tracts,  stereotype  plates 
and  claims  be  transferred  to  the  Board  of  the  Assembly. 

As  a  response  to  this  action  of  the  Synod,  at  a  meet- 
ing of  the  Board  in  Philadelphia,  November  17, 1838, 
it  was — 

Resolved,  That  the  Board  of  Publication  of  Tracts  and 
Sabbath-School  Books  will  now  go  on  to  perform,  in  de- 
pendence on  the  great  Head  of  the  Church,  the  important 
work  for  which  it  was  created, 

The  Board  made  its  first  annual  report  to  the  As- 
sembly of  1839.  It  had  attempted  but  little,  for  the 
obvious  reason  that  it  had  not  been  furnished  with  the 
means.  Its  affairs  were  only  in  an  incipient  state. 
The  receipts  for  the  sales  of  the  year  were  only  $982.74. 
The  only  Sabbath-school  book  published  during  the 
year,  the  first  on  the  Board's  catalogue,  was  The  Way 
of  Salvation  Familiarly  Explained,  by  the  Rev.  Archi- 
bald Alexander,  D.  D.,  of  which  three  thousand  copies 
were  issued.  From  this  unpretending  origin  and  these 
days  of  comparatively  small  things  has  sprung  an  in- 
stitution whose  works  are  known  and  valued,  and  whose 
influence  is  felt  for  good,  through  the  Church  and  the 
land. 

PRESBYTERIAN    BOARD    OF    PUBLICATION. 

The  General  Assembly  of  1839  committed  the  reso- 
lutions of  the  preceding  Assembly,  establishing  the 
Board,  and  the  report  of  the  Board  to  a  special  com- 


BOARD   OF   PUBI.ICATION.  15 

mittee,  "  with  instructions  to  report  such  a  change  in 
the  name,  and  such  a  modification  of  the  plan  of  the 
Board,  as  shall  more  adequately  meet  the  demands  (Jf 
the  Church  and  the  world." 

Upon  the  recommendation  of  this  committee,  the 
name  of  the  Board  was  changed  to  "  The  Presbyterian 
Board  of  Publication,"  and  important  alterations  and 
amendments  were  made  in  its  Constitution. 

CONSTITUTION 


PKESBYTERIAN  BOARD  OF  PUBLICATION, 

As  adopted  by  the  Assetnbly  of  1838,  and  amended  by  the 
Assembly  of  1839. 

Article  I.  The  General  Assembly  will  superintend 
and  conduct,  by  its  own  proper  authority,  the  work  of  fur- 
nishing the  churches  under  its  care  with  suitable  tract, 
Sabbath-school  and  other  publications  by  a  Board  ap- 
pointed for  that  purpose,  and  directly  amenable  to  said 
Assembly. 

Art.  II,  The  General  Assembly  shall,  at  its  present 
meeting,  choose  forty  ministers  and  forty  laymen  as  mem- 
bers of  the  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication,  one-fourth 
part  of  whom  shall  go  out  annually,  in  alphabetical  order; 
and  thereafter  ten  ministers  and  ten  laymen  shall  be 
annually  elected  as  members  of  the  Board,  whose  term  of 
office  shall  be  four  years  ;  and  these  forty  ministers  and 
forty  laymen  so  appointed  shall  constitute  a  Board,  to  be 
styled  "The  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication,"  to  which 
for  the  time  being  shall  be  entrusted,  with  such  directions 
and  instructions  as  may  from  time  to  time  be  given  by  the 


16  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

General  Assembly,  the  superintendence  of  all  the  opera- 
tions of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  relation  to  the  pub- 
lication of  tracts,  Sabbath-school  books,  the  authorized 
version  of  the  Psalms  and  Hymns  and  Confession  of  Faith, 
approved  works  in  support  of  the  great  principles  of  the 
Eeformation,  as  exhibited  in  the  doctrines  and  order  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  such  works,  permanent  and 
periodical,  as  are  adapted  to  promote  sound  learning  and 
true  religion.  The  Board  shall  make  annually  to  the 
General  Assembly  a  report  of  their  proceedings,  and  sub- 
mit for  its  approval  such  plans  and  measures  as  shall  be 
deemed  useful  -and  necessary. 

Art.  III.  The  Board  of  Managers  shall  hold  their  first 
meeting  at  such  time  and  place  as  may  be  directed  by  the 
General  Assembly,  and  shall  hold  a  meeting  annually  at 
some  convenient  time,  during  the  sessions  of  the  General 
Assembly,  at  which  time  it  shall  appoint  a  President,  Vice- 
President,  a  Corresponding  Secretary,  a  Treasurer  and  an 
Executive  Committee,  to  serve  for  the  ensuing  year.  It 
shall  belong  to  the  Board  of  Managers  to  review  and  de- 
cide upon  all  the  doings  of  the  Executive  Committee,  to 
receive  and  dispose  of  their  annual  report,  and  to  present 
any  statement  of  their  proceedings  which  they  may  judge 
proper  and  necessary  to  the  General  Assembly.  It  shall 
be  their  duty,  also,  to  meet  for  the  transaction  of  business 
as  often  as  may  be  expedient,  due  notice  of  every  special 
meeting  being  seasonably  given  to  every  member  of  the 
Board.  Eleven  members  shall  constitute  a  quorum  for 
the  transaction  of  business. 

Art.  IV.  To  the  Executive  Committee,  consisting  of 
nine  members,  besides  the  Corresponding  Secretary  and 
Treasurer,  shall  belong  the  duty  of  selecting  and  prepar- 
ing suitable  tracts  and  books  for  publication ;  of  superin- 
tending and  directing  their  distribution ;  of  receiving  the 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  17 

reports  of  the  Corresponding  Secretary,  and  giving  hiiQ 
needful  directions  in  reference  to  matters  of  lousiness  and 
correspondence  entrusted  to  him ;  of  authorizing  all  appro- 
priations of  money;  and  of  taking  particular  direction 
and  management  of  the  whole  subject  of  publication, 
subject  to  the  control  and  direction  of  the  Board  of  Man- 
agers. The  Executive  Committee  shall  meet  at  least  once 
a  month,  and  oftener  if  necessary ;  five  members  meeting 
at  the  time  and  place  of  adjournment  on  special  call  shall 
constitute  a  quorum,  except  that  the  approval  of  a  majority 
of  the  whole  committee  shall  be  necessary  to  direct  the 
publication  of  any  tract  or  book.  The  committee  shall 
have  power  to  fill  their  own  vacancies  should  any  occur 
during  the  recess  of  the  Board. 

Art.  V.  All  property,  houses,  lands,  tenements  and 
permanent  funds  belonging  to  the  said  "  Presbyterian 
Board  of  Publication"  shall  be  taken  in  the  name  of  the 
Trustees  of  the  General  Assembly,  and  held  in  trust  by 
them  for  the  use  and  benefit  of  "  The  Presbyterian  Board 
of  Publication  "  for  the  time  being. 

Art.  VI.  The  seat  of  operation  of  the  Board  of  Man- 
agers shall  be  the  city  of  Philadelphia. 

SEMI-CENTENARY    FUND. 

The  Semi-Centenary  of  the  General  Assembly  af- 
forded a  favorable  occasion  for  the  creation  of  a  fund 
for  the  use  of  the  Board.  The  General  Assembly  of 
1839  recommended  the  proper  celebration  of  this  event 
by  the  appointment  of  a  day — the  second  Sabbath  of 
December — "  to  be  observed  with  religious  solemnity 
by  all  our  people  in  celebrating  the  praises  of  God, 
and  in  rendering  thanks  to  his  great  name  for  all  his 
mercies."  It  was  also  recommended  that,  "  as  a  timely 
2 


18  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

and  open  expression  of  the  Church's  gratitude,  either 
by  public  collections,  or  in  some  other  way  approved 
and  in  use  among  the  people,  every  member  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States  be  called  to 
'  offer  gifts '  for  the  glory  of  God  and  the  good  of  man." 
The  Board  of  Publication  was  designated  as  the  prin- 
cipal object  for  these  benefactions.  Many  large  sums 
were  collected  in  various  places,  and  devoted  to  special 
local  enterprises.  The  Board,  however,  in  the  two  fol- 
lowing years  received  from  these  centennial  benefactions 
an  amount  which,  with  the  assets  of  the  Synodical  Tract 
Society  transferred  to  it  at  its  organization,  gave  it  a 
working  capital  of  $40,000.  This  capital  was  subse- 
quently increased  to  $50,000  by  further  collections  of 
centennial  subscriptions,  and  by  special  gifts  of  indi- 
vidual friends  for  the  stereotyping  of  certain  valuable 
and  costly  works.  By  special  enactment  of  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly  this  capital  was  to  be  preserved  entire 
and  undiminished,  and  to  be  so  used  as  to  require  no 
contributions  for  its  increase.  It  was  a  business  capi- 
tal to  be  used  for  the  glory  of  God,  the  upbuilding  of 
the  Redeemer's  kingdom  and  the  good  of  men  by  pub- 
lishing and  circulating  books  and  tracts  of  a  doctrinal 
character,  Calvinistic  in  their  views  of  truth  and  suited 
to  perpetuate  the  system  of  doctrine  and  practice  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  thus,  by  God's  blessing, 
making  the  men,  women,  and  children  of  the  Church 
not  only  intelligent  Christians,  but  also  intelligent, 
thoroughly  indoctrinated  Presbyterians. 

With  this  amount  of  capital,  the  name  of  a  Church 
institution   and   the  fostering  care   of  the  Assembly 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  19 

secured,  the  original  friends  of  the  enterprise  were  led 
to  indulge  hopes  of  a  wider  extent  of  usefulness  than 
had  at  the  outset  been  thought  of,  and  laid  their  plans 
accordingly.  From  that  time  forth  the  Board  con- 
tinued gradually  to  extend  its  operations,  attracting 
the  favorable  attention  of  the  churches  and  receiving 
gratifying  tokens  of  its  increasing  usefulness. 

In  February,  1847,  an  act  of  incorporation  was  pro- 
cured from  the  Legislature  of  Pennsylvania,  which  was 
approved  by  the  General  Assembly  of  that  year.  Only 
one  of  the  trustees  named  in  the  Act  of  Corporation 
survives — viz.,  Archibald  Mclntyre,  Esq.,  who  is  still 
an  efficient  and  valued  member  of  the  Board. 

END    OF    FIRST    DECADE. 

At  the  end  of  the  Board's  first  decade,  in  1848,  the 
gross  receipts  had  increased  from  $723.77,  in  1838,  to 
$34,371.37.  Two  hundred  and  forty  works  had  been 
published,  giving  a  total  of  639,800  volumes  printed. 
Besides  these,  the  number  of  tracts  had  reached  58,  of 
which  150,500  copies  had  been  printed,  besides  180,000 
Catechisms  and  43,000  almanacs — a  total  of  1,013,300 
publications.  The  capital  of  the  Board  had  been 
gradually  increased,  chiefly  by  donations ;  so  that  it 
then  amounted  to  about  $70,000. 

The  Board  had  also  been  made  the  almoners  of  pri- 
vate donations  placed  at  its  disposal  by  a  few  generous 
persons,  to  be  distributed  according  to  its  judgment, 
by  means  of  which  nearly  $5000  had  been  expended 
and  about  10,000  volumes  given  to  furnish  libraries  to 
Presbyterian  clergymen  of  limited  pecuniary  means, 


20  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

to  feeble   churches,  Sabbath-schools,   benevolent  and 
charitable  institutions  and  ships-of-war. 

PUBLICATION   HOUSE. 

Thus  far  the  place  of  business  occupied  by  the  Board 
had  been  a  rented  store  and  committee-rooms  on  the 
corner  of  Seventh  and  George  (Sansom)  Street.  In 
1848  the  institution  seemed  sufficiently  matured  and 
extended  to  warrant  the  purchase  of  a  house  for  its 
permanent  occupancy.  A  property  on  Chestnut  Street 
above  Eighth  was  purchased  on  very  favorable  terms, 
and  all  the  exterior  arrangements  for  permanency  and 
Avidespread  usefulness  were  apparently  completed.  But 
the  Board  had  occupied  its  new  quarters  only  a  few 
months  when,  January  6, 1849,  the  house  was  destroyed 
by  fire.  The  loss  was  partly  covered  by  insurance,  and 
for  the  rest  was  ^principally  made  up  by  the  generous 
contributions  of  the  churches  and  of  liberal  men  in 
various  parts  of  the  country.  Thus  a  larger  and  more 
commodious  building  was  erected,  which  continued  to 
be  the  home  of  the  Board  until  the  Reunion  in  1870. 
A  small  debt  was  contracted,  which  Avas  speedily  liqui- 
dated. 

COLPOKTAGE. 

Thus  far  the  Board  of  Publication  had  been  simply 
an  organization  for  printing  and  publishing  books  and 
tracts,  without  any  arrangement  for  their  circulation. 
The  capital  furnished  by  the  churches  was  to  be  used 
for  publishing  exclusively ;  no  means  were  provided 
for  the  support  of  a  class  of  men  for  scattering  abroad 
the  publications.     The  income  from  sales  was  expected 


PcBLiCATioN  House,  821  Chestnut  Street. 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  21 

to  furnish  the  necessary  funds  for  manufacturing  and 
keeping  on  hand  at  all  times  a  full  supply  of  books, 
and  in  this  way  the  Board  was  to  sustain  itself  It 
was  simply  a  commercial  institution  designed  to  pro- 
mote a  religious  object. 

Very  early  in  its  history  there  came  upon  the  small 
capital  then  in  its  possession,  from  feeble  churches  un- 
able to  pay,  applications  for  grants  of  its  publications 
by  far  too  numerous  to  be  met  by  its  profits,  and  after 
personal  and  private  statements  had  been  made  to 
friends  of  the  Board  funds  were  furnished,  and  were 
credited  on  its  books  to  a  Distribution  Fund.  This 
was  the  beginning  of  the  missionary  work  of  the  Board. 
Later  in  its  history  there  came  a  demand  for  a  wider 
circulation  of  its  issues  among  the  destitute.  The 
books  were  not  reaching  the  Church  to  the  extent 
which  was  desirable,  and  the  more  needy  portions  were 
scarcely  touched  at  all.  In  these  circumstances,  it  was 
judged  expedient  to  resort  to  a  system  of  colportage 
for  the  circulation  of  the  books,  and,  as  the  prices 
could  not  be  placed  high  enough  to  defray  the  expense 
of  this  system,  it  was  resolved  to  call  upon  the  churches 
to  furnish  by  annual  collections  the  means  of  employ- 
ing a  corps  of  colporteurs,  and  also  a  fund  for  donations. 
In  this  way  the  character  of  the  Board  was  changed 
from  that  of  a  mere  commercial  establishment  to  that 
of  a  benevolent  institution.  In  all  these  plans  the 
Board  either  carried  out  the  instructions  of  the  Assem- 
bly or  received  its  cordial  approval.  The  Assembly 
in  1847  recorded  its  estimate  of  this  work  of  the  Board 
in  the  following  terras : 


22  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

Besolved,  That  the  Assembly  is  highly  gratified  that  the 
Board  has  entered  upon  a  system  of  colportage  as  an  agency 
for  the  circulation  of  its  books ;  and  while  repeating  the 
recommendation  of  former  Assemblies,  that  funds  be  raised 
by  Synods  and  Presbyteries  for  the  establishment  of  de- 
positories owned  and  managed  by  themselves,  the  Assembly 
would  further  recommend  that  they  employ,  in  connection 
with  these  depositories,  the  colporteurs  appointed  by  the 
Board. 

CORRESPONDING  SECRETARY. 

In  order  to  carry  out  these  changes,  as  well  as  in 
various  ways  to  bring  the  Board  more  fully  and  con- 
stantly into  communication  with  the  churches,  the 
office  of  Corresponding  Secretary  and  General  Agent, 
already  provided  for  in  the  Constitution,  was  filled  in 
the  autumn  of  1848.  To  this  important  and  responsi- 
ble office  the  Rev.  John  Leyburn,  D.  D.,  was  unani- 
mously elected,  and  he  entered  upon  his  work  in  Novem- 
ber. The  Board  had  already  employed  a  few  persons 
as  traveling  agents  for  the  sale  of  books,  but  at  that 
time  there  were  only  four  of  these,  and  their  labors 
were  confined  exclusively  to  the  States  of  Pennsylva- 
nia, New  Jersey  and  New  York. 

It  was  immediately  after  arrangements  were  made 
for  carrying  into  effect  the  extended  plans  that  the 
newly-purchased  house  of  the  Board  was  destroyed  by 
fire,  and  the  urgent  necessity  of  rebuilding  was  laid 
upon  the  Board  and  the  churches.  This  diversion  of 
effort  and  funds  greatly  interfered  with  the  progress  of 
the  incipient  colporteur  enterprise.  Still,  a  beginning 
was  made,  and  within  two  years  from  its  inception  the 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  23 

Board  reported  forty  colporteurs  employed.     The  As- 
sembly of  1849  expressed  its  approval  as  follows : 

Resolved,  That  the  system  of  colportage  adopted  by  the 
Board  is  not  only  a  valuable  auxiliary,  but  in  the  present 
condition  of  our  country,  with  its  advancing  population 
sweeping  rapidly  beyond  the  reach  of  a  settled  ministry 
and  all  the  ordinary  means  of  grace,  must  be  considered  a 
necessary  means  of  the  widest  diiFusion  and  most  effective 
influence  of  our  publications;  and  the  Assembly  have 
heard  with  peculiar  pleasure  that  many  of  our  candidates 
for  the  ministry  are  engaged  during  the  interval  of  study 
in  the  prosecution  of  this  important  work,  so  full  of  bene- 
fit to  others,  and  of  still  more  valuable  practical  instruction 
to  themselves.  We  would,  therefore,  urge  the  Board  to 
pursue,  with  redoubled  activity,  this  department  of  their 
labors,  and  throw  themselves  upon  the  liberality  of  the 
churches  for  any  additional  expense  which  might  be  neces- 
sarily incurred. 

The  Board  endeavored  faithfully  to  carry  out  these 
instructions  of  the  Assembly,  and  encouraging  success 
accompanied  their  efforts.  The  sales  of  books  were  at 
once  increased,  until,  from  $29,000  in  1849,  they  rose  to 
nearly  $80,000  in  1854.  Colporteurs  in  numbers  vary- 
ing from  year  to  year  were  thenceforward  kept  in  the 
field.  They  were  instructed  to  regard  themselves  not 
merely  as  venders  of  books,  but  as  missionaries  to  carry 
the  truths  of  the  gospel  wherever  they  labored.  An 
unspeakable  amount  of  good  was  accomplished  by  these 
faithful  workers  going  from  house  to  house,  holding 
religious  conversation  and  prayer,  and  distributing, 
both  by  sale  and  gift,  the  books  and  tracts  issued  by 
the  Board.     Multitudes  in  every  part  of  the  land,  but 


24  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

chiefly  in  the  West,  of  the  poor,  the  needy  and  those 
destitute  of  religious  privileges,  were  thus  reached  and 
benefited. 

In  1854  this  department  of  the  Board's  work  was 
placed  under  the  special  charge  of  Mr.  Winthrop 
Sargent,  as  Superintendent  of  Colportage — an  office  in 
which  he  continued  for  eighteen  years  to  give  faithful 
and  devoted  service  to  the  Board  and  the  Church. 

In  1858,  at  the  end  of  the  Board's  second  decade,  it 
reported  that  the  number  of  colporteurs  in  commission 
during  the  year  had  been  263  ;  that  twenty-nine  States 
and  Territories  had  been  traversed  and  had  received 
larger  or  smaller  supplies  of  the  publications  of  the 
Board,  besides  the  British  provinces  of  Nova  Scotia, 
New  Brunswick,  Canada  East  and  Canada  West. 
Hundreds  of  thousands  had  thus  received  messages 
of  eternal  life,  and  the  voice  of  exhortation  and  prayer 
had  been  lifted  up  through  this  instrumentality  in 
very  many  places  where  such  a  voice  was  never  heard 
before. 

The  Kev.  Dr.  Leyburn,  after  three  years  of  faithful 
service,  resigned  the  office  of  Corresponding  Secretary 
and  General  Agent  in  1852,  and  the  Rev.  George  W. 
Musgrave,  D.  D.,  was  elected  his  successor.  Dr.  Mus- 
grave.held  the  position  for  a  year,  and  was  succeeded 
by  the  Rev.  B.  M.  Smith,  now  of  the  Union  Theologi- 
cal Seminary  of  Virginia.  Dr.  Smith  vacated  the 
office  Novergber  1,  1854,  and  was  succeeded  by  the 
Rev.  William  E.  Schenck,  D.  D.,  who  continued  to 
serve  the  Church  and  the  Board  until  failing  health 
compelled  him  to  resign  his  office,  in  1886.     A  more 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  25 

extended  notice  of  his  valuable  labors  will  be  given  in 
subsequent  pages. 

DEATH   OF   THE    REV.    ARCHIBALD   ALEXANDER,    D.  D. 

The  fourteenth  annual  report  of  the  Board,  presented 
to  the  General  Assembly  of  1852,  made  mournful  men- 
tion of  the  death  of  the  Kev.  Archibald  Alexander, 
D.  D.,  senior  professor  in  the  Princeton  Theological 
Seminary,  which  occurred  October  22,  1851.  Dr. 
Alexander  had  been  the  president  of  the  Board  from 
May,  1839,  and  had  always  manifested  a  deep  in- 
terest in  its  welfare.  He  selected  it  as  the  channel 
through  which  he  published  nearly  all  of  his  works 
which  appeared  after  its  organization.  At  the  time  of 
his  death  the  Board  had  issued  16,020,500  pages  of  his 
writings.  Many  of  these  works  are  of  great  perma- 
nent value,  and  still  have  an  extended  sale.  To  few 
persons  was  the  Board  more  indebted  than  to  him  for 
the  degree  of  prosperity  and  usefulness  to  which  it  at- 
tained during  the  first  fourteen  years  of  its  existence. 

The  Kev.  William  W.  Phillips,  D.  D.,  pastor  of  the 
First  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  city  of  New  York, 
succeeded  Dr.  Alexander  as  president  of  the  Board, 
and  held  that  office  until  his  death,  March  20,  1865. 

MR.    JOSEPH   p.    ENGLES. 

Mr.  Joseph  P.  Engles  became  a  member  of  the  Board 
in  1839,  and  its  Publishing  Agent  in  184^  He  filled 
this  ofiice  until  his  death,  April  14,  1861.  By  his  ex- 
cellent personal  qualities  he  greatly  endeared  himself  to 
all  the  members,  and  by  his  extensive  and  accurate 


26  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

learning,  his  untiring  industry  and  hearty  devotion  to 
its  interests,  he  did  very  much  to  promote  the  efficiency 
and  usefulness  of  the  institution.  Many  of  the  publica- 
tions of  the  Board  during  his  long  term  of  office  were 
selected  by  him,  and  all  passed  under  his  critical  in- 
spection. The  Catechism  for  Young  Children — of  which 
hundreds  of  thousands  have  been  circulated  by  the 
Board — was  prepared  by  him.  He  was  also  the  editor 
of  a  pocket  edition  of  the  Greek  Testament  of  un- 
rivaled accuracy. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Board  held  two  days  after  his 
death  the  following  minute  was  unanimously  adopted  : 

1.  The  Board,  having  been  apprised  of  the  recent  and 
very  sudden  death  of  Mr.  Joseph  P.  Engles,  desire  rever- 
ently to  acknowledge  the  hand  of  God  in  this  dispensation, 
and  to  bow  submissively  to  his  will. 

2.  They  record  their  grateful  sense  of  the  eminent  piety 
and  usefulness  of  this  devoted  servant  of  God  ;  of  his  dili- 
gence, integrity  and  fidelity  as  the  Publishing  Agent  of 
this  Board ;  of  the  generous  efficiency  with  which  he 
employed  the  resources  of  his  large  experience  and  ripe 
scholarship  in  promoting  its  interests ;  and  of  the  signal 
affability  and  kindness  which  marked  all  his  intercourse 
with  its  members,  and  won  their  personal  confidence  and 
affection. 

The  General  Assembly  in  May  adopted  the  following 
resolution : 

Resolved,  That  the  Assembly  unites  with  the  Board  in 
hereby  recording  its  sense  of  the  loss  sustained  by  the 
Church  in  the  death  of  the  late  Joseph  P.  Engles,  the 
Publishing   Agent  of  the  Board,  and  in   expressing  its 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  27 

sense  of  the  diligence,  integrity  and  fidelity  with  which 
he  had  so  long  served  the  Church  in  that  office. 

"  SABBATH-SCHOOL   VISITOR." 

The  Board  from  its  early  inception  felt  called  upon 
to  give  special  attention  to  books  for  the  young,  and 
from  year  to  year  a  goodly  number  of  publications 
of  this  description  were  added  to  its  catalogue.  With 
the  beginning  of  the  year  1851,  in  accordance  with 
the  action  of  the  General  Assembly  of  the  preceding 
year  recommending  the  establishment  of  a  paper  for 
Sabbath-schools,  the  publication  of  The  Presbyterian 
Sabbath-School  Visitor  was  commenced.  Its  immediate 
success  proved  how  much  such  a  paper  was  demanded. 
At  the  expiration  of  the  first  three  months  of  its  ex- 
istence it  had  secured  a  subscription  list  of  20,000 ; 
at  the  end  of  the  first  year  the  number  of  subscribers 
amounted  to  28,000 ;  at  the  end  of  the  second  year  it 
had  increased  to  40,000 ;  in  1858  the  Board  reported 
a  circulation  of  54,000. 

Seldom  has  the  General  Assembly  adopted  a  more 
important  resolution  than  that  which  gave  existence  to 
this  paper  for  the  children  and  youth  of  our  Church. 
It  is  well  described  by  its  name — "Sabbath-School 
Visitor."  Its  pictorial  illustrations  are  of  a  highly 
creditable  character.  Its  matter,  both  selected  and 
contributed,  is  strictly  religious.  Without  sacrificing 
solidity  to  a  simplicity  which  makes  no  demands  of  in- 
tellect, it  presents  the  most  useful  and  important  truths 
in  a  style  well  adapted  to  engage  the  attention  and 
arrest  the  affections  of  the  young.    Adults  read  it  with 


28  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

pleasure  and  profit,  and  many  have  accorded  to  it  an 
estimate  of  the  highest  grade  as  a  paper  adapted  to  all. 

"home  and  foreign  record." 

The  General  Assembly  of  1849  appointed  a  com- 
mittee to  make  arrangements  for  a  periodical  as  the 
joint-organ  of  all  the  Boards.  The  committee  having 
matured  its  plans,  the  publication  of  the  Home  and 
Foreign  Becord  was  begun  in  January,  1850.  The 
Visitor  and  the  Record  were  the  only  periodicals  issued 
by  the  Board  until  after  the  Reunion  in  1870. 

THE   LITERATURE   OF   THE   BOARD. 

During  the  successive  years  of  its  existence  the 
Board  kept  steadily  in  view  the  great  object  for  which 
it  was  created  by  the  General  Assembly — the  publica- 
tion and  dissemination  far  and  wide  of  the  pure  and 
complete  truths  of  God's  word  just  as  those  truths  are 
held  and  exhibited  in  the  Standards  of  our  Church. 
Its  desire  and  aim  was  to  furnish  to  all  within  its  reach 
not  only  a  sound  and  scriptural  literature,  but  one 
adajDted  to  the  necessities  and  varied  tastes  of  every 
class — to  proffer  to  the  minister  of  the  gospel,  to  the 
head  of  the  family,  to  the  Sabbath-school  teacher  and 
scholar,  to  the  youth  and  the  adult,  to  the  babe  in  Christ 
and  the  mature  Christian,  to  the  prosperous  and  the 
afflicted,  to  the  irreligious  and  the  skeptical,  words  of 
wisdom  and  of  love  suited  to  fit  each  and  all  for  the 
duties  of  this  life  and  for  the  glories  of  another.  Lov- 
ing heartily  the  noble  Standards  which  have  been  trans- 
mitted to  our  Church  from  her  fathers  and  founders, 


BOARD   OF    PUBLICATION.  29 

and  fully  persuaded  that  they  are  built  upon  the  solid 
rock  of  God's  revealed  truth,  the  Board  has  always 
openly  avowed  its  desire  that  all  men  might  be  brought 
to  concur  heartily  therewith,  and  has  embraced  every 
proper  opportunity,  by  its  publications,  to  correct  every 
misrepresentation  or  mistake  concerning  those  doctrines, 
and  to  exhibit  and  illustrate  the  truths  of  those  Stan- 
dards ;  so  that  they  may  win  the  hearts  of  all  men  to 
themselves,  and  to  that  free  and  precious  salvation 
embodied  and  exhibited  therein. 

END   OF   SECOND   DECADE. 

At  the  end  of  the  second  decade  it  is  interesting  and 
inspiring  to  notice  the  growth  of  the  Board.  From  a 
little  germ  it  had  become  a  great  tree.  Its  total  capi- 
tal amounted  to  $211,809.  From  its  receipts  of  $723  in 
1838,  when  it  came  under  the  supervision  of  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly,  its  income  from  all  sources  had  become 
$109,413.71.  Its  losses  through  bad  debts  had  been 
but  about  $1300,  or  less  than  $70  per  annum.  Its 
Catalogue  contained  the  names  of  more  than  800 
publications,  including  books  and  tracts,  of  which 
6,819,938  copies  had  been  issued.  Of  the  Confession 
of  Faith  it  had  published  60,000  copies ;  of  the  Shorter 
Catechism  in  various  forms,  654,000  copies,  and  nearly 
as  many  more  bound  with  the  Hymn-Book,  making 
altogether  considerably  over  1,000,000  copies  of  that 
admirable  Standard  of  our  Church.  Of  the  Catechism 
for  Young  Children  it  had  also  published  346,000 
copies ;  of  the  Assembly's  Hymn-Booh,  503,500  copies. 
Of  other  works  we  may  name  the  following  numbers 


30  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

published :  Boston's  Fourfold  State,  14,000  copies ; 
Doddridge's  Else  and  Progress,  23,500 ;  Pilgrim's  Prog- 
ress, 24,000;  Fisher's  Catechism,  14,000;  The  Great 
Supper,  24,000 ;  Dr.  J.  W.  Alexander's  Thoughts  on 
Family  Worship,  25,000;  Bible  Dictionary,  16,000; 
Pictorial  First  Book,  34,000.  A  number  of  important 
works  of  a  denominational  character  had  also  been 
issued  at  very  considerable  outlay,  most  of  them  by 
direction  of  the  General  Assembly,  from  which,  not- 
withstanding their  great  value,  but  little  return  had 
been  received.  Among  these  may  be  mentioned 
Records  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  Minutes  of  the  Gen- 
eral Asseynbly  1789-1820,  Minutes  of  the  General  As- 
sembly 1821-1835. 

The  number  of  colporteurs  in  the  service  of  the 
Board  had  increased  from  20  in  1849  to  263  in  1858. 

This  increase  in  the  number  of  colporteurs  commis- 
sioned by  the  Board,  and  the  vast  extent  of  their  field 
of  operations,  led  to  the  appointment  of  district  super- 
intendents of  colportage  to  exercise  a  general  supervis- 
ion of  the  work  in  their  respective  territories.  The 
General  Assembly  of  1860  gave  its  oflScial  approval  of 
these  appointments  by  the  unanimous  adoption  of  the 
following  resolution : 

Resolved,  That  the  Assembly  approves  of  the  employ- 
ment of  a  supervisory  class  of  colporteurs,  or  district 
superintendents,  as  likely  to  give  still  further  activity  and 
extension  to  this  important  work  of  colportage. 

The  Board  reported,  to  the  Assembly  of  1861,  five 
district  superintendents — one  for  the  States  of  Illinois, 
Wisconsin,  Minnesota,  Iowa  and  Missouri ;  another  for 


BOARl>   OF   PUBLICATION.  31 

the  States  of  Kentucky  and  Tennessee ;  a  third  for 
Georgia  and  Alabama ;  a  fourth  for  Ohio,  Indiana  and 
Michigan  ;  and  a  fifth  for  the  Pacific  coast.  The  lat- 
ter— the  most  expensive  of  these  agencies — was  begun, 
at  the  Assembly's  express  direction  and  with  a  full 
knowledge  of  its  costliness,  because  of  the  great  im- 
portance of  the  field  and  its  claims  upon  the  Church. 

WORK   FOR   SOLDIERS   AND   SAILORS. 

During  the  civil  war  of  1861-65  the  Board  took 
an  active  part  in  the  work  of  supplying  the  soldiers 
and  sailors  on  both  sides  of  the  great  conflict  with 
suitable  books  and  tracts.  At  the  opening  of  the  war 
many  thousand  dollars'  worth  of  such  books  and 
tracts  were  in  the  South  ;  the  Board  authorized  these 
to  be  distributed  to  the  Confederate  soldiers  and  sailors. 
Large  quantities  of  books  and  tracts  were  distributed  to 
the  Union  soldiers  and  sailors  through  the  agency  of 
the  Christian  Commission.  Over  300,000  copies  of  The 
Soldier's  Pocket-Booh,  prepared  by  the  Rev.  William 
M.  Engles,  D.  D,,  editor  of  the  Board's  publications, 
were  thus  gratuitously  distributed.  In  1865  the  Board 
reported  to  the  General  Assembly  as  follows : 

Large  and  constant  demands  continue  to  be  made  upon 
the  Board  for  suitable  little  volumes  and  tracts  for  the  use 
of  the  soldiers.  The  Board  has  been  most  anxious  to  keep 
pace  with  these  demands,  and  has  spared  no  exertions  in 
this  direction.  This  has  seemed  to  be  a  more  imperative 
duty  because  of  the  large  amount  of  utterly  trashy  read- 
ing forwarded  to  our  armies,  and  because  of  the  large 
quantities  professing  to  be  religious  reading,  but  filled  with 
false  doctrines  and  perversions  of  Scripture  adapted  more 


32  BOAKD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

or  less  to  lead  our  brave  defenders  away  from  Christ  as  a 
divine  and  all-sufficient  Saviour. 

SABBATH-SCHOOL   WORK. 

The  same  report  shows  the  active  work  of  the  Board 
in  regard  to  Sabbath-school  books  : 

In  obedience  to  the  frequently-expressed  will  of  the 
General  Assembly,  as  well  as  in  accordance  with  what  the 
Board  believes  to  be  a  pressing  want  of  the  Church  at 
large,  it  has  continued  to  add  to  its  Sabbath-school  library 
as  fast  as  it  could  judiciously  do  so.  During  the  year  33 
new  volumes  have  been  added  to  the  Board's  Sabbath- 
school  library,  making  the  whole  number  of  volumes 
now  contained  ther^'n  380.  These  have  been  selected  with 
the  utmost  caio  ..  m  the  materials  available,  while  a  large 
number  of  manuscripts  proffered  for  this  use  have  been 
rejected. 

May  we  not  venture  to  put  forth  just  here  a  word 
of  entreaty  to  pastors,  and  to  all  others  interested  in 
the  spiritual  welfare  of  the  children,  that  they  will  see 
to  it  that  the  Sabbath-school  libraries  in  their  respec- 
tive churches  are  made  up  of  proper  and  profitable 
books,  and  of  no  others  ?  It  is  truly  lamentable  to 
see  with  how  much  carelessness  new  purchases  for  such 
libraries  are  frequently  made.  We  have  often  seen 
upon  the  book-shelves  in  Sabbath-schools  connected 
with  our  largest  and  most  intelligent  churches  books 
in  which  were  conveyed  the  views  of  other  denomina- 
tions— views  directly  opposed  to  those  of  the  Standards 
of  our  Church.  In  vain  will  the  Presbyterian  Church 
by  its  Board  provide  safe  and  profitable  Sabbath-read- 
ing for  her  own  children  unless  pastors  and  others  having 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  33 

the  matter  in  charge  take  pains  to  have  this  reading 
placed  within  the  reach  of  those  for  whom  it  was  pre- 
pared. 

ASSEMBLY  SUPERVISION. 

The  work  of  the  Board  passed  under  the  careful 
supervision  of  the  General  Assembly  from  year  to 
year.  The  action  of  this  body  uniformly  showed  a 
deep  sense  of  the  importance  of  the  work  and  a  hearty 
appreciation  of  the  diligence  and  wisdom  with  which  it 
was  prosecuted.  The  Assembly  of  1862  renewed  this 
approval  by  the  adoption  of  the  following  resolution : 

Resolved,  That  this  General  Assembly  continue  to  regard 
the  Board  of  Publication  as  a  most  L"  ' "  '■■^-■f'  and  efficient 
agency  of  the  Church  in  dissemr  '^'^^g  and  defending 
divine  truth,  and  approves  of  the  wisdom,  prudence  and 
energy  with  which  the  affairs  of  the  Board  have  been  con- 
ducted during  the  year. 

Various  complaints  and  criticisms  had,  however, 
been  made  in  different  parts  of  the  Church  and  found 
expression  in  the  Assembly  with  regard  to  the  policy 
and  work  of  the  Board.  The  Corresponding  Secretary, 
therefore,  earnestly  requested  the  Assembly  to  appoint 
a  special  committee  of  inquiry  in  regard  to  the  affairs 
and  operations  of  the  Board.  The  following  resolu- 
tions were  thereupon  adopted  : 

Resolved,  1.  That,  in  view  of  criticisms  made  in  this  and 
former  General  Assemblies,  a  committee  of  nine  ministers 
and  ruling  elders,  of  which  the  moderator  of  this  General 
Assembly  shall  be  chairman,  be  appointed  to  make  a 
thorough  examination  of  the  affairs  of  the  Board  of  Pub- 
lication, and  report  to  the  next  General  Assembly. 
3 


34  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

Resolved,  2.  That  said  committee  shall  meet  in  the  city 
of  Philadelphia,  at  the  call  of  its  chairman;  and  the 
Board  is  hereby  directed  to  give  free  and  full  opportunity 
to  the  committee  in  carrying  out  the  objects  of  its  appoint- 
ment and  any  information  the  committee  may  desire  to 
procure.  And  all  persons,  from  any  part  of  the  Church, 
shall  have  full  opportunity,  and  are  requested,  either  in 
person  or  by  writing,  to  present  to  the  committee  any  ob- 
jections or  doubts  they  may  entertain  in  regard  to  the 
plans  and  operations  of  the  Board. 

Resolved,  3.  That  the  Board  of  Publication  be  directed 
to  pay  the  traveling  and  other  necessary  expenses  of  the 
members  of  the  committee  from  its  treasury. 

This  committee  met  September  19,  1862,  and  was  in 
session  for  six  days,  spending  seven  hours  of  each  day, 
except  the  last,  in  careful,  united  consultations  and  in- 
vestigations. They  used,  also,  various  means  of  secur- 
ing information  outside  of  the  committee-room,  and 
endeavored  to  obtain  a  full  understanding  of  the  mat- 
ters assigned  by  the  General  Assembly  for  their  inves- 
tigation. 

The  Board  extended  a  cordial  welcome  to  the  com- 
mittee, and  gave  them  every  facility  in  the  prosecution 
of  their  inquiries.  Full  hearing  was  given  to  those  who 
complained  of  the  Board,  and  also  to  its  officers,  mem- 
bers and  friends  in  explanation  and  support  of  its 
operations  and  policy.  The  result  of  their  investiga- 
tions was  presented  to  the  General  Assembly  of  1864 
in  a  unanimous  report  which,  when  published,  filled 
twenty-four  closely-printed  pages.  The  report  discussed 
at  length  the  several  matters  of  complaint :  1.  The 
character  of  the  publications  put  forth  by  the  Board  ; 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  35 

2.  The  financial  affairs  of  the  Board,  including  (1) 
the  capital  and  its  increase,  (2)  the  salaries  of  the 
officers  and  the  working  expenses  of  the  Board,  (3)  the 
cost  of  production  and  the  prices  and  agencies  of  the 
Board,  and  (4)  the  general  efficiency  of  its  manage- 
ment ;  3.  The  colportage  work ;  4.  The  periodicals. 
The  committee  closed  their  report  with  the  expression 
of  their  earnest  hope  that  the  past  history  of  the  Board 
might  prove  but  its  time  of  preparation  for  enlarged 
usefulness,  that  renewed  confidence  might  be  placed  in 
it  by  the  churches,  that  greater  efficiency  and  influence 
might  belong  to  all  its  operations,  and  that  the  labors 
of  the  committee  might  tend  to  secure  these  results. 

The  Assembly,  after  considerable  discussion,  ap- 
proved of  the  principles  expressed  by  the  committee 
touching  the  character  of  the  Board's  publications, 
and  commended  the  efforts  of  the  Board  to  furnish 
reading  more  and  more  attractive,  acceptable  and  use- 
ful to  the  Church.  It  also  approved  of  the  theory  of 
colportage  as  expressed  in  the  report  of  the  special 
committee,  directed  the  Board  to  consider  carefully 
the  matter  of  superintendents  of  colportage,  the  sugges- 
tions of  the  committee  respecting  the  employment  of 
colporteurs,  and  renewedly  commended  this  whole  mat- 
ter to  the  confidence,  liberality  and  prayers  of  God's 
people. 

The  Assembly  also  directed  certain  changes  in  the 
way  of  retrenchment ;  1.  That  the  separate  office  of 
Editor  be  discontinued,  and  its  duties  be  assigned  to  the 
Corresponding  Secretary ;  2.  That  the  office  of  Treas- 
urer, as  a  distinct  one,  be  dispensed  with,  and  the  duties 


36  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

thereof  be  added  to  those  of  the  Superintendent  of  Col' 
portage ;  3.  That  the  duties  of  Publishing  Agent  be 
assigned  to  the  Superintendent  of  Depository,  without 
any  increase  of  salary ;  4.  That  the  office  and  salary 
of  Solicitor  be  discontinued ;  5.  That  the  periodical 
department  be  placed  under  the  charge  of  one  indi- 
vidual, chosen  by  the  Board,  who  should  be  responsible 
for  its  conduct,  receiving  for  his  compensation  thirteen 
hundred  dollars  per  annum,  he  being  required  to  fur- 
nish clerks  and  assistants  at  his  own  expense ;  6.  That 
payments  for  matter  for  the  Sabbath-School  Visitor  be 
discontinued  until  they  can  be  made  from  the  income 
of  the  paper.  A  series  of  resolutions  intended  and 
adapted  to  give  full  efficacy  to  the  action  of  the  As- 
sembly was  immediately  adopted  by  the  Board. 

Whatever  opinions  may  have  been  entertained  in 
various  quarters  respecting  the  action  of  the  Assembly, 
the  Board  unhesitatingly  obeyed  these  directions,  and 
diligently  endeavored  to  carry  them  into  effect,  with 
the  earnest  hope  that  its  future  progress  might  be 
marked  with  an  immunity  from  further  external  and 
agitating  discussions,  and  by  the  bestowal  upon  it  from 
all  sides  of  that  generous  confidence  so  necessary  to  its 
enlarged  usefulness. 

That  this  hope  was  not  without  foundation  will  ap- 
pear from  the  action  of  the  Assembly  of  1865 : 

Resolved,  1.  That  each  successive  year  affords  additional 
evidence  that  the  Board  of  Publication  is  a  most  efficient 
agency  in  disseminating  and  defending  divine  truth,  and 
that,  whilst  the  General  Assembly  rejoices  in  the  increas- 
ing usefulness  of  the  Board,  it  approves  of  the  fidelity, 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  37 

discretion  and  vigor  with  which  its  affairs  are  con- 
ducted. 

Resolved,  2.  That  it  is  especially  gratifying  to  the  As- 
sembly that  the  Board,  in  obedience  to  the  calls  both  of 
piety  and  of  patriotism,  has  continued  to  make  liberal 
contributions  of  its  publications  to  the  army  and  navy,  to 
the  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  and  sailors  in  our  hospitals, 
to  military  prisoners,  and  to  many  among  those  whom  God 
in  his  righteous  providence  has  delivered  from  bondage, 
and  affectionately  urges  upon  the  churches  the  importance 
of  a  still  more  liberal  co-operation  in  a  work  which  in 
itself  is  so  excellent,  and  which  has  been  so  signally 
favored  by  God. 

Resolved,  3.  That  the  endeavors  of  the  Board  to  furnish 
the  children  and  youth  of  our  Church  and  country  with  a 
literature  not  only  adapted  to  interest  them  and  beget  a 
love  of  reading,  but  to  cultivate  their  taste,  to  improve 
their  understandings,  and,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  purify 
their  hearts,  meet  with  the  heartiest  approval  of  the  As- 
sembly; and  it  is  recommended  with  special  emphasis  to 
all  who  love  our  beloved  Zion  and  desire  the  improvement 
and  salvation  of  our  dear  youth  by  every  means  to  aid  the 
Board  in  this  most  important  department  of  labor.  .  .  . 

Resolved,  6.  That  the  General  Assembly  directs  the  at- 
tention of  the  Board  to  the  importance  of  a  more  exten- 
sive distribution  of  the  books,  tracts  and  papers  of  the 
Board  throughout  all  the  churches  of  our  connection,  and 
urges  every  pastor  and  church  Session  to  see  that  the  pure 
literature  of  our  Church — subjected  as  it  is,  in  advance  of 
issue,  to  careful  examination — be  circulated  in  preference 
to  any  other.  To  this  end,  prominent  laymen  and  the 
superintendents  and  tSachers  of  Sabbath-schools  should 
be  furnished  with  the  well-arranged  Descriptive  Catalogue 
of  the  Board  ;  and  in  many  instances  care  should  be  taken 


38  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

to  secure  the  occasional  visits  of  a  colporteur.  While  not 
depreciating  the  merits  of  other  religious  publishing  so- 
cieties, we  are  sure  that  the  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publi- 
cation, judged  by  its  works,  has  no  superior,  and  it  is  due 
to  the  interests  of  religion  and  the  Church  that  preference 
should  be  accorded  to  them. 

During  the  remaining  years  of  its  third  decade,  with 
the  emphatic  and  annually-repeated  approval  of  the 
Assembly  and  increased  favor  of  the  Church,  the  Board 
made  encouraging  advance  in  every  department  of  its 
work.  Many  and  valuable  additions  were  made  to  the 
catalogue  of  its  publications.  Its  plans  of  distribution 
were  enlarged  and  systematized.  The  distribution 
fund  was  united  with  the  colportage  fund,  and  thence- 
forward defrayed  the  expenses  of  the  colportage  work, 
and  also  bore  the  cost  of  the  grants  of  books  and  tracts 
made  by  the  executive  committee.  In  all  these  plans 
of  production,  distribution  and  sustentation  the  Board 
received  the  hearty  support  of  the  Church.  The  As- 
sembly of  1868  unanimously  adopted  the  report  of  its 
standing  committee  on  publication,  which  bore  testi- 
mony to  the  good  work  of  the  Board  as  follows : 

Your  committee  have  been  deeply  impressed  with  the 
peculiar  importance  of  the  work  committed  to  this  Board, 
and  the  urgent  necessity  there  is  that  it  should  be  done 
vigorously  and  efficiently.  A  good  wholesome  literature 
is  not  only  indispensable  in  securing  the  perpetuity  of  a 
Church  constituted  like  ours,  but  it  is  also,  as  experience 
has  shown,  one  of  the  best  means  for  carrying  on  the  work 
of  evangelization.  It  ought,  then,  to  be  a  subject  of  no 
ordinary  concern  to  the  Assembly  to  know  what  efforts 
the  Board  is  making  to  supply  the  wants  of  the  Church 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  39 

through  the  channel  of  the  press,  and  what  success  has 
attended  its  attempts  to  preach  the  gospel  by  means  of  the 
printed  page. 

The  thirtieth  annual  report  presented  by  this  Board  is 
so  complete  and  satisfactory,  that  your  committee  has  had 
no  difficulty  in  reaching  a  unanimous  opinion  concern- 
ing it. 

After  giving  a  brief  outline  of  the  work  of  the 
Board  during  the  year  under  review,  the  committee 
presented  a  series  of  resolutions  which  were  also  unan- 
imously adopted  by  the  Assembly.  We  quote  a  part  of 
them: 

Besolved,  1.  That  the  Assembly  has  heard  with  pleasure 
and  gratitude  to  God  of  the  increased  measure  of  success 
that  has  attended  the  labors  of  the  Board  of  Publication 
during  the  past  year  in  the  face  of  more  than  ordinary 
difficulties.  While  it  commends  the  fidelity  of  the  Board 
to  its  sacred  and  important  trust,  it  would  also  call  the 
attention  of  all  under  the  Assembly's  care  to  the  import- 
ance of  sustaining  it,  that  it  may  be  rendered  still  more 
efficient. 

Resolved.  2.  That  it  gives  special  pleasure  to  the  As- 
sembly to  learn  that  the  Sabbath-school  books  issued  by 
the  Board  are  so  generally  and  cordially  approved  by  those 
engaged  in  the  Sabbath-school  work.  In  order  to  make 
this  department  still  more  effective,  it  is  recommended  to 
the  Board  to  make  diligent  effort  to  print  and  circulate  a 
larger  number  of  books  adapted  to  that  class  of  the  young 
who  are  more  advanced  in  years  and  culture. 

Resolved,  5.  That  the  Assembly  directs  the  Board  to 
make  special  effort  during  the  coming  year  to  enlarge  and 
extend  the  work  of  colportage. 

The  Board  endeavored  faithfully  to  carry  out  the 


40  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

suggestions  and  directions  of  the  Assembly  thus  ex- 
pressed. The  Assembly  of  1869  commended  the  opera- 
tions of  the  Board  during  the  preceding  year  as 
"conducted  with  wisdom,  efficiency  and  encouraging 
success,"  exhorted  our  church  Sessions  and  Sabbath- 
school  superintendents  to  promote  the  increasing  cir- 
culation of  its  periodicals,  directed  the  Board  to 
enlarge  its  work  of  colportage  in  the  openings  for  it 
that  were  multiplying  on  every  hand,  and  to  this  end 
exhorted  all  our  churches  to  contribute  to  the  fund 
for  this  purpose.  It  also  recommended  that  the  Board 
should  be  furnished  with  the  means  for  supplying 
needy  ministers  with  its  publications  for  their  own  use, 
and  for  distribution  among  those  unable  to  purchase 
them,  and,  in  view  of  the  great  good  arising  from  the 
gratuitous  circulation  of  the  tracts  of  the  Board,  it 
earnestly  commended  to  the  attention  of  churches  and 
individuals  the  importance  of  special  donations  for  this 
purpose. 

REV.  WILLIAM   M.    ENGLES,    D.  D. 

The  report  of  1868  noted  the  death  of  five  members 
of  the  Board  during  the  preceding  year,  all  faithftil 
sons  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  who  had  rendered 
important  services  to  the  Board.  Of  one  of  them  we 
feel  constrained  to  speak  at  greater  length  because  of 
his  intimate  and  long-continued  relations  to  the  Board. 

The  Eev.  William  M.  Engles,  D.  D.,  died  November 
27,  1867,  at  his  residence,  in  Philadelphia,  after  an 
illness  of  a  few  days,  and  in  the  seventy-first  year  of 
his  age.  The  Board  was  probably  more  indebted  to 
him  than  to  any  other  one  man  for  its  existence  and 


BOAKD   OF  PUBLICATION.  41 

usefulness,  especially  during  the  first  twenty  years  of 
its  history.  In  all  the  incipient  measures  which  led  to 
its  organization,  and  afterward  to  its  adoption  and 
reorganization  by  the  General  Assembly,  he  took  a 
prominent  part.  He  was  a  member  of  its  executive 
committee,  and  continued  to  serve  uninterruptedly  in 
that  capacity  until  June,  1863.  He  was  likewise,  from 
the  first,  editor  of  the  Board's  publications,  and  every 
one  of  them  passed  under  his  eye  and  hand  until  that 
date.  In  1865  he  was  elected  president  of  the  Board 
— an  office  which  he  continued  to  fill  with  dignity  and 
Christian  courtesy  and  warm  devotion  to  the  Board's 
interests  until  his  removal  by  death.  His  usefulness 
in  connection  with  this  Board  the  Church  can  never 
fully  appreciate.  His  sound  judgment  rarely  allowed 
him  to  fall  into  a  mistake.  His  extensive  reading  and 
his  thorough  and  discriminating  orthodoxy  placed  upon 
the  Board's  catalogue  a  large  variety  of  the  most  ap- 
proved Calvinistic  books,  both  of  our  own  country  and 
of  Great  Britain,  yet  kept  its  list  to  a  remarkable 
degree  free  from  all  admixture  of  error.  A  large 
number  of  old  and  valuable  works  which  had  become 
nearly  extinct  because  of  their  cumbrous  style  were 
revised  and  abridged  by  him,  and  have  had  an  exten- 
sive circulation  and  great  usefulness  in  every  part  of 
the  land.  In  all  this  editorial  work  he  had  a  most  val- 
ued colaborer  and  assistant  in  his  brother,  of  whose 
services  as  the  Publishing  Agent  of  the  Board  we 
have  already  spoken. 

Dr.  Engles  was  also  himself  the  author  of  a  large 
number  of  valuable  books  and  tracts,  nearly  all  of 


42  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION". 

which  were  published  anonymously.  Among  these, 
his  Sick-room  Devotmis  has  carried  life  and  comfort  to 
thousands  of  chambers  of  sickness.  His  little  work 
The  Soldier's  Pocket  Book — of  which  about  three  hun- 
dred thousand  in  English  and  German  were  circulated 
among  our  soldiers  during  the  war — achieved  an  untold 
and  unspeakable  amount  of  good. 

In  1870,  at  the  Eeunion,  the  Board  reported  the  net 
value  of  its  issues  during  the  year  ^114,763.84,  and 
the  total  number  of  copies  of  books  and  tracts  issued 
by  the  Board  since  its  organization  15,132,738.  Its 
catalogue  contained  the  names  of  1720  publications, 
and  its  capital  amounted  to  $294,737.68. 

The  last  page  of  that  final  report  of  the  old  Board 
will  form  a  fitting  close  to  this  sketch  of  its  history : 

It  seems  proper  for  the  Board,  in  view  of  the  recent 
action  of  the  Joint  Committee  on  Publication  appointed  by 
the  two  General  Assemljlies  at  Pittsburgh,  and  of  the  prob- 
able action  of  the  approaching  Assembly  thereon,  to  make 
a  brief  allusion  to  the  past  and  to  the  future.  The  work 
of  publication  was  taken  up  by  the  General  Assembly,  and 
this  Board  organized  by  it  in  the  year  1838.  Nearly  all 
the  members  originally  appointed  by  the  Assembly  have 
passed  away  from  earth  and  earthly  labors,  and  the  present 
members  have  from  time  to  time  been  chosen  to  fill  their 
places.  They  have  become  ardently  attached  to  the  Board 
and  its  work,  believing  them  to  be  wisely  adapted  to  bless 
mankind,  to  strengthen  our  beloved  Church  and  to  glorify 
God.  They  have  taken  pleasure  in  helping  forward  that 
work,  and  have  found  the  associations  into  which  it  has 
drawn  them  with   each   other,   and  with  many  now  in 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  43 

heaven,  exceedingly  agreeable  and  profitable.  The  provi- 
dence of  God  and  the  voice  of  his  Church  now  call  this 
Board  to  enter  upon  a  new  phase  of  its  history,  and  to  pass 
either  wholly  or  in  part  into  the  hands  of  other  managers. 
It  seems  proper,  therefore,  for  the  present  members  to  ex- 
press, in  closing  this  report,  their  heartfelt  prayer  that  God 
may  greatly  enlarge  the  work  and  usefulness  of  this  be- 
loved Board,  that  he  may  make  it  a  perpetual  and  growing 
power  for  the  difi"usion  of  his  blessed  truth,  and  that  he 
may  richly  impart,  by  his  Holy  Spirit,  wisdom,  zeal, 
energy,  favor  with  all  his  people,  and  abundant  success  to 
all  who  may  hereafter  participate  in  controlling  and  guid- 
ing its  operations. 


n. 

PRESBYTERIAN  PUBLICATION  COMMITTEE. 

1862—1870. 


PRESBYTERIAN  PUBLICATION  COMMITTEE, 


PRELIMINARY  ACTION. 


The  New  School  branch  of  the  Church  began  the 
work  of  publication  about  fifteen  years  after  the  dis- 
ruption. Certain  preliminary  action  had,  however, 
been  taken  in  several  General  Assemblies  preceding 
that  of  1852,  by  which  this  plan  was  adopted. 

In  1846  an  overture  on  the  subject  of  doctrinal 
tracts  was  reported,  and  referred  to  a  committee  of 
two  from  each  Synod.  This  overture  had  its  origin  in 
the  Presbyterian  and  Congregational  Convention  that 
met  at  Detroit,  Michigan,  the  year  previous,  by  which 
the  following  resolution  was  unanimously  adopted : 

Resolved,  That,  in  view  of  the  peculiar  wants  of  the 
churches  which  harmonize  with  this  Convention  in  doctrine 
and  benevolent  action  for  the  conversion  of  the  world,  it 
is  expedient  and  proper  that  measures  should  be  adopted 
to  furnish  a  full  supply  of  doctrinal  and  other  religious 
books  and  tracts. 

To  insure  the  success  of  the  measure  proposed,  it  was 
resolved — 

1.  That  a  committee  be  appointed  to  correspond  with 
such  Congregational  bodies  at  the  East  as  they  may  select, 
and  confer  with  the  next  Constitutional  General  Assem- 
bly, and  co-operate  with  them  to  mature  a  plan,  and  as 

47 


48  PUBLICATION  COMMITTEE. 

far  as  practicable  and  expedient  carry  the  same  into 
effect,  and  report  their  doings  to  the  Convention  of  1847. 
2.  That  in  carrying  out  the  objects  of  the  Convention  in 
supplying  the  churches  with  such  doctrinal  and  other 
religious  books  and  tracts  as  are  especially  needed,  we 
recommend  that  a  Board  of  Publication  should  be  ap- 
pointed which  will  fairly  represent  the  different  sections 
of  territory  and  the  two  denominations  composing  this 
Convention. 

This  plan  for  co-operative  action  was  subsequently 
abandoned,  and  the  two  denominations,  unable  to  work 
together  in  reference  to  this  object,  determined  to  prose- 
cute it  separately.  In  the  General  Assembly  for  a 
time  the  commencement  of  the  enterprise  was  a  matter 
of  no  little  difficulty.  Committees  were  appointed, 
made  their  reports  and  were  discharged ;  smaller  com- 
mittees were  substituted  for  larger  ones ;  reports  were 
read,  discussed  and  recommitted;  but  no  plan  was 
developed  which  was  sufficiently  feasible  to  warrant 
its  adoption.  Such  was  the  history  of  the  cause  in  the 
General  Assembly  from  1846  to  1850. 

THE   COMMITTEE  APPOINTED. — ITS   POWERS   AND 
DUTIES. 

In  1852  the  subject  came  up  in  connection  with  the 
general  matter  of  Church  Extension.  The  Assembly 
adopted  a  carefully-prepared  report,  which  led  to  the 
formation  of  the  permanent  Committee  on  Education 
for  the  Ministry,  the  Committee  on  Church  Erection 
and  the  Publication  Committee.  The  third  section  of 
this  report,  which  related  to  the  publication  of  doc- 
trinal tracts,  was  as  follows : 


PUBLICATION   COMMITTEE.  49 

To  promote  the  diffusion  of  those  truths  which  distin- 
guish us  as  a  Church,  the  General  Assembly  adopts  the 
following  arrangement ; 

1.  There  is  hereby  established  at  Philadelphia  a  Stand- 
ing Committee  of  nine  persons,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to 
superintend  the  publication  of  a  series  of  tracts  explan- 
atory of  the  doctrines,  government  and  missionary  policy 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church  as  the  General  Assembly  shall 
from  time  to  time  direct.  One-third  of  this  Committee 
shall  serve  for  one  year,  one-third  for  two  years  and  the 
remaining  third  for  three  years,  the  election  to  fill  the 
places  of  those  whose  term  expires  to  be  held  at  each 
meeting  of  the  General  Assembly. 

2.  This  Committee  shall  elect  a  secretary  and  treasurer, 
the  former  of  whom  shall  receive  such  a  salary  per  annum 
as  shall  be  agreed  upon  by  the  Committee,  and  shall  be  the 
editor  of  the  tracts  published ;  and  also,  as  far  as  may  be 
necessary,  the  soliciting  agent  for  such  an  amount  of  funds 
as  may  be  required  to  carry  out  the  objects  for  which  this 
Committee  is  appointed. 

3.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  this  Committee  to  meet  at 
Philadelphia,  and  after  due  organization  to  take  measures 
to  procure  the  preparation  and  publication  in  cheap,  neat 
and  substantial  form  of  a  series  of  tracts  for  the  purposes 
above  stated,  no  tract  to  be  published  which  does  not 
receive  the  unanimous  approbation  of  the  Committee. 

4.  This  Committee  shall,  if  consistent  with  the  interests 
of  the  Assembly,  enter  into  a  contract  with  some  publisher 
or  publishers  to  assume  for  a  time  the  publication  of  such 
tracts  as  may  be  furnished  them,  at  certain  rates,  which 
shall  be  agreed  upon  in  writing.  And  if  no  such  arrange- 
ment can  be  profitably  and  satisfactorily  made,  then  the 
said  Committee  shall,  by  solicitation  from  the  churches, 

4 


60  PUBLICATION   COMMITTEE. 

proceed  to  provide  a  sufficient  fund  for  their  publication 
in  behalf  of  the  Assembly. 

5.  This  Committee  shall  make  a  full  report  of  its  proceed- 
ings to  the  General  Assembly  at  each  annual  meeting. 

The  following  persons  were  appointed  the  Committee 
to  superintend  the  preparation  and  publication  of 
doctrinal  tracts — viz.  Kev.  Thomas  Brainerd,  D.  D., 
Rev.  Albert  Barnes  and  Mr.  T.  S.  Bodine,  for  one 
year ;  Rev.  E.  W.  Gilbert,  D.  D.,  Rev.  Thomas  H. 
Skinner,  D.  D.,  and  Rev.  George  Duffield,  Jr.,  for  two 
years ;  Rev.  Asa  D.  Smith,  D.  D.,  Rev.  Jonathan  F. 
Stearns,  D.  D.,  and  Hon..  William  Darling,  for  three 
years. 

The  Committee  at  its  first  meeting  elected  the  Rev. 
Albert  Barnes  its  chairman — an  office  which  he  con- 
tinued to  hold  until  April  18,  1870. 

The  Committee  presented  its  first  annual  report  to 
the  Assembly  of  1853,  and  the  following  resolutions 
were  adopted : 

That  the  rule  requiring  the  unanimous  consent  of  the 
Committee  for  the  publication  of  any  book  or  tract  be 
so  modified  that  a  majority  of  three-fourths  only  shall  be 
required. 

That  the  Committee  be  authorized  to  take  such  measures 
as  they  may  deem  advisable  to  secure  the  necessary  funds 
for  the  erection  of  a  house  of  publication. 

That  it  be  earnestly  recommended  to  all  our  churches  to 
take  up  collections,  annually  or  otherwise,  in  aid  of  the 
publishing  fund  under  the  control  of  this  Committee. 

That  we  suggest  to  the  Publication  Committee  the  desir- 
ableness of  issuing,  as  soon  as  practicable,  a  few  tracts 
which  shall  clearly  and  distinctly  exhibit  our  peculiar 


PUBLICATION   COMMITTEE.  51 

views  of  doctrine,  government  and  missionary  policy,  with 
a  view  to  answer  the  calumnies  against  us  and  show  our 
true  position  in  the  Church  and  in  the  world. 

THE   COMMITTEE   ENLARGED. 

The  Assembly  of  1854,  without  giving  further  in- 
structions to  the  Committee  on  this  point,  expressed  its 
sense  of  "  the  great  importance  of  this  work  and  the 
desirableness  of  a  religious  literature  suitable  to  the 
wants  of  the  denomination." 

It  also  enacted  "  that  the  Publication  Committee  be 
enlarged  to  the  number  of  fifteen,  nine  of  whom  shall 
reside  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia  or  vicinity  ;  that  of 
this  number  five  shall  constitute  a  quorum  for  ordinary 
business,  whose  sittings  shall  be  in  the  city  of  Phila- 
delphia ;  but  nothing  shall  be  authorized  for  publica- 
tion, issued  or  endorsed  by  said  Committee  except  by  a 
majority  of  its  members,  all  publications  to  issue  simul- 
taneously in  the  two  cities  of  New  York  and  Phila- 
delphia with  the  imprimatur  of  the  Committee." 

CHANGE   OF    NAME. 

The  Assembly  of  1855  changed  the  name  of  the 
Committee  to  "  The  Presbyterian  Publication  Commit- 
tee." In  this  action  we  discern  the  first  official  intima- 
tion of  an  enlargement  of  the  view  of  the  work  to  be 
done  by  this  agency  beyond  the  idea  of  a  mere  "  Doc- 
trinal Tract  Committee."  This  action  enlarging  the 
scope  of  the  Committee's  work,  was  followed  in  1857 
by  the  laying  down  of  a  broad  platform  upon  which 


52  PrJBLICATION   COMMITTEE. 

to  build  up  a  full  denominational  and  Christian  litera* 
ture.     The  Assembly — 

Resolved,  That  the  power  of  the  press  in  promoting  true 
piety  and  a  widespread  intelligence  among  our  population 
is  an  instrumentality  appointed  of  God,  and  now  put  into 
our  hands  to  be  employed  for  the  advancement  of  the 
general  interests  of  religion  and  for  the  prosperity  of  our 
own  denomination. 

Resolved,  That  the  Publication  Committee  be  encouraged 
to  publish  not  only  such  works  as  may  present  the  peculi- 
arities of  our  branch  of  the  Christian  Church  in  doctrine 
and  practice,  but  from  time  to  time  such  works  of  an 
evangelical  character  as  may  be  profitable  to  the  Church 
at  large. 

In  this  action  the  Committee,  from  1857  onward, 
found  its  general  orders  from  the  denomination  as  to 
the  objects  which  it  should  seek  to  effect.  The  aim  of 
the  Committee  was  made  by  these  instructions  broad 
and  full,  comprehending  both  a  distinctly  denomina- 
tional literature — a  literature  explaining  our  doctrines 
and  polity — and  an  evangelical  literature ;  not  merely 
a  literature  controversial  and  peculiar,  but  also  Chris- 
tian and  practical,  and  adapted  to  usefulness  to  the 
Church  at  large ;  in  short,  a  full  expression  through 
the  press  of  the  truth  of  God  as  held  by  us  in  all  its 
bearings  and  applications  both  to  doctrine  and  to  life. 

The  instructions  thus  given  were  steadily  kept  in 
view  and  carried  out  by  the  Committee  so  far  as  means 
were  put  at  their  disposal.  The  strong  attachment  of 
the  body  to  co-operative  Christian  effort  led  some  at 
the  outset  to  regard,  if  not  with  hostility,  at  least  with 


PUBLICATION   COMMITTEE.  53 

suspicion,  anything  that  had  the  appearance  of  a  de- 
nominational movement.  From  year  to  year,  however, 
this  feeling  diminished,  and  the  Committee,  in  the  en- 
larged scope  of  its  Avork,  grew  in  the  favor  and  support 
of  the  Church. 

PUBLICATION   HOUSE. 

As  early,  as  September  20, 1852,  a  sub-committee  ap- 
pointed to  ascertain  what  arrangements  could  be  made 
for  the  publication  and  sale  of  tracts  at  various  book- 
stores were  led,  as  a  result  of  their  unsuccessful  en- 
deavor to  find  a  publisher  and  their  subsequent  inves- 
tigations as  to  this  matter,  to  report  as  follows : 

Whereas,  The  history  of  other  denominations  leaves 
us  no  doubt  whatever  as  to  the  course  which  it  is  best  for 
our  denomination  to  pursue  in  order  to  establish  the  pub- 
lication cause  upon  a  permanent  basis ;  therefore, 

Resolved,  That  immediate  measures  be  taken  for  the 
creation  of  a  fund  which,  when  large  enough  for  the  pur- 
pose, shall  be  invested  in  a  suitable  lot  and  building. 

The  Assembly  of  1853  authorized  the  Committee  to 
take  such  measures  as  they  deemed  advisable  to  secure 
the  necessary  funds  for  this  purpose.  A  beginning 
was  made  which  greatly  added  to  their  courage  in  the 
enterprise  and  to  their  hope  of  its  ultimate  success.  But 
several  sources  of  embarrassment  presented  themselves 
which  could  be  obviated  only  by  a  steady  patience  and 
the  lapse  of  time.  One  of  these — and  probably  the 
most  influential  of  all — was  the  consideration  that  the 
voice  of  the  Church  had  never  definitely  decided  the 
particular  place  for  the  House  of  Publication. 


54  PUBLICATION   COMMITTEE. 

To  obviate  this  objection  and  hold  out  to  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly  of  1854  a  substantial  inducement  to 
choose  the  city  of  Philadelphia  for  this  purpose,  several 
wealthy  laymen,  by  the  advice  and  request  of  the  Com- 
mittee, took  the  matter  into  consideration.  The  more 
they  looked  at  the  enterprise,  the  more  it  grew  in  favor 
with  them.  Just  at  this  point  the  property  No.  1334 
Chestnut  Street  was  offered  to  them.  The  offer  required 
prompt,  and  indeed  immediate,  acceptance ;  but  the  in- 
dications of  Providence  were  too  clear  to  be  resisted. 
The  property  was  purchased  and  alterations  were  made 
in  the  building  then  standing  upon  it  at  a  cost  of 
forty-five  thousand  dollars.  These  alterations  having 
been  satisfactorily  completed,  the  house  was  opened, 
with  appropriate  religious  ceremonies,  November  20, 
1854.  The  proposal  of  the  Philadelphia  gentlemen 
was  that  twenty  thousand  dollars  should  remain  on 
mortgage,  to  be  paid  by  a  sinking  fund  from  rents ; 
that  of  the  remaining  twenty-five  thousand  dollars, 
twelve  thousand  five  hundred  should  be  given  by  the 
churches  in  Philadelphia,  and  twelve  thousand  five 
hundred  by  the  churches  of  other  Synods.  This  pro- 
posal was  accepted  by  the  Assembly,  and  "  Trustees 
of  the  Presbyterian  House  "  were  appointed.  An  act 
of  incorporation  was  obtained  under  the  laws  of  the 
State  of  Pennsylvania,  and  approved  by  the  Governor, 
April  21,  1855.  The  corporation  created  by  this  act 
was  styled  "  The  Trustees  of  the  Presbyterian  House." 
The  original  corporators  were  John  A.  Brown,  Samuel 
H.  Perkins,  Charles  S.  Wurts,  Matthew  W.  Baldwin 
and  John  C.  Farr,  all  of  whom  have  passed  away. 


PUBLICATION  COMMITTEE.  55 

These  trustees  held  their  first  meeting  June  22,  1855, 
and  organized  by  electing  John  A.  Brown  president 
and  Benjamin  J.  Wallace  secretary  of  the  corporation. 

A  permanent  centre  of  operations  was  thus  secured 
for  the  Publication  Committee,  and  such  other  religious 
enterprises  in  connection  with  our  denomination  as 
should  have  a  representation  in  Philadelphia.  A  book- 
store was  opened  July  1, 1855,  for  the  sale  of  the  Com- 
mittee's publications,  and  of  other  books  consistent 
with  its  designs. 

In  1855,  and  again  in  1856,  it  was  found  that  the 
sums  to  be  raised  in  the  Synods  out  of  Pennsylvania 
had  not  been  secured.  The  Assembly  of  1856,  there- 
fore, recommended  the  taking  up  of  a  simultaneous 
collection  in  all  the  churches  in  December  of  that 
year,  with  the  view  of  raising  thirty  thousand  dollars 
— one  half  for  the  completion  of  the  purchase  of  the 
house,  and  one  half  for  the  use  of  the  Publication  Com- 
mittee. The  whole  amount  thus  raised  was  only  about 
six  thousand  dollars — a  sum  alike  unworthy  of  the 
Assembly's  recommendation  and  of  the  cause.  The 
collection  may  have  been  a  "  simultaneous  "  one  so  far 
as  it  went,  but  it  certainly  was  not  a  general  one. 

The  President  of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  Mr.  John 
A.  Brown,  who  had  from  the  beginning  taken  a  deep  in- 
terest in  the  enterprise,  so  soon  as  it  was  fully  understood 
that  the  amount  needed  to  pay  for  the  house  so  far 
that  but  twenty  thousand  dollars  would  be  left  on 
ground-rent,  would  not  be  realized  from  the  simul- 
taneous collection,  at  once  proposed  to  pay  ten  thousand 
dollars,  the  necessary  sum,  himself,  on  condition  that  a 


56  PUBLICATION   COMMITTEE. 

similar  sum  be  raised  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  to 
relieve  the  Publication  Committee  from  the  embarrass- 
ment in  which  the  failure  of  the  simultaneous  con- 
tribution had  involved  it.  This  offer  was  promptly 
and  generously  met,  and  the  Presbyterian  House, 
then  valued  at  fifty  thousand  dollars,  was  secured  to 
the  denomination.  The  whole  amount  raised  in  Phil- 
adelphia for  the  Presbyterian  House  and  the  Pub- 
lication Committee  then  exceeded  forty  thousand 
dollars. 

The  General  Assembly  of  1857,  in  order  to  secure 
to  the  Publication  Committee  the  full  advantage  of 
the  charter  of  the  Presbyterian  House,  adopted  the 
following  resolution: 

Resolved  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  in  the  United  States  of  America,  That  the  Trustees 
of  the  Presbyterian  House  be,  and  they  hereby  are,  au- 
thorized and  directed  to  act  in  their  corporate  capacity  as 
Trustees  of  the  Permanent  Committee  of  this  Assembly, 
called  "  The  Presbyterian  Publication  Committee,"  as 
fully,  and  in  the  same  manner,  as  if  the  Presbyterian 
Publication  Committee  were  themselves  constituted  a  cor- 
poration by  the  same  authority  which  incorporated  the 
Trustees  of  the  Presbyterian  House. 

SECRETARY   AND    EDITOR. 

In  1857,  when  the  enlargement  of  the  scope  of  the 
Committee's  issues  was  ordered  by  the  Assembly,  the 
Rev.  John  W.  Dulles  entered  the  service  of  the  Com- 
mittee as  Secretary  and  Editor,  and  began  for  the 
Church  what  proved  thenceforward  his  life-work.  At 
that  time  "  the  treasury  of  the  Committee  contained 


PUBLICATION   COMMITTEE.  57 

three  thousand  dollars  of  debt  and  some  uncollected 
subscriptions ;  its  catalogue,  four  tracts,  three  books 
and  an  almanac."  The  Assembly  of  1858  recommended 
that  "  the  sum  of  sixteen  thousand  dollars  be  raised 
for  the  use  of  the  Publication  Committee  for  the  ensu- 
ing year."  Only  a  little  more  than  one-half  of  this 
amount  was  received,  and  early  in  1859  it  was  clearly 
seen  that  nothing  but  a  prompt  and  liberal  measure  of 
relief  would  free  the  enterprise  from  most  serious 
embarrassment.  In  this  emergency  the  fri^ids  of  our 
Church  in  Philadelphia  were  called  upon  once  more 
to  lend  their  assistance  for  an  enterprise  for  which  they 
had  already  done  so  much.  The  response  to  this  ap- 
peal was  a  subscription  of  ten  thousand  dollars,  one- 
half  of  which  was  liberally  contributed  by  Mr.  John 
A.  Brown. 

In  the  midst  of  difficulties  and  discouragements  from 
the  inadequacy  of  its  capital  to  the  work  to  be  done, 
the  Committee  went  forward,  steadily  adding  to  its 
moderate  list  of  publications,  and  making  grants  of 
books  and  tracts  to  the  destitute,  as  far  as  its  limited 
resources  would  permit,  and  appealed  to  the  Assembly 
of  1862  for  a  fresh  consideration  of  the  claims  of  the 
cause.  This  appeal  was  met  by  a  discussion  which 
ended  in  the  appointment  of  a  special  committee  of 
seven  "  to  take  up  and  consider  the  whole  subject,  and 
settle  clearly  and  definitely  its  course  of  action  for  the 
future,  and  give  to  the  churches  the  reasons  for  that 
course." 

With  the  report  presented  by  the  Publication  Com- 
mittee in  1863,  and  then  heartily  adopted  by  the  Gen- 


68  PUBLICATION   COMMITTEE. 

eral  Assembly,  came  the  dawn  of  a  new  era  in  the  pub- 
lication work.    The  Assembly — 

Resolved,  1.  That  the  publication  cause  should  now  be 
considered  one  of  the  established  institutions  of  our 
Church. 

Resolved,  2.  That  true  loyalty  to  our  home  interests  and 
policy  demands  of  all  our  ministers  and  all  our  church- 
members  devoted  attachment  to  this  cause  and  its  cordial 
support. 

Resolved,  6,  That  we  enter  at  once  upon  energetic  meas- 
ures for  raising  the  sum  of  fifty  thousand  dollars,  to  be 
apportioned,  according  to  some  judicious  plan,  among  our 
churches,  and  that  this  fund  be  employed  by  the  Publica- 
tion Committee  as  may  seem  to  them  best  for  the  further- 
ance of  the  great  interest  they  are  prosecuting  under  God 
and  the  General  Assembly. 

The  following  resolutions  were  also  adopted  in  re- 
sponse to  an  overture  from  the  Publication  Committee : 

Resolved,  First.  That  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church  in  the  United  States  of  America  do  hereby 
declare  that  the  property  1334  and  1336  Chestnut  Street, 
Philadelphia,  is,  and  shall  be,  held  by  the  Trustees  of  the 
Presbyterian  House,  to,  for,  and  upon  the  following  uses, 
intents  and  purposes — that  is  to  say,  in  trust  to  permit 
and  suffer  the  Presbyterian  Publication  Committee,  sub- 
ject to  the  said  General  Assembly  and  their  successors,  to 
let  and  demise,  use,  occupy  and  enjoy,  the  said  property, 
and  every  part  thereof,  they  paying  all  taxes  and  ground- 
rent  thereon,  and  all  proper  and  necessary  repairs,  and 
other  expenses  and  charges  thereon ;  and  that  the  said 
Trustees  shall  have  power,  at  the  request  of  the  said  Pub- 


PUBLICATION   COMMITTEE.  59 

lication  Committee,  to  mortgage  and   improve  the  said 
property,  or  any  part  thereof. 

Resolved,  Second.  That  the  Trustees  of  the  Presbyterian 
House  be,  and  they  hereby  are,  directed  to  execute,  under 
their  corporate  seal,  and  deliver  to  the  said  Publication 
Committee,  such  deed  or  deeds  of  declaration  of  trust  for 
the  purposes  aforesaid,  with  all  such  powers,  authorities, 
limitations  and  provisions,  as  shall  be  settled  and  advised 
by  a  committee  of  three  legal  gentlemen,  to  be  appointed 
by  the  Assembly,  to  be  requisite  and  necessary  for  the 
fully  carrying  into  effect  these  resolutions. 

The  declaration  of  trust  was  made,  and  the  manage- 
ment of  the  Presbyterian  House  was  transferred  to  the 
Publication  Committee,  April  1,  1864. 

The  deliverances  of  the  Assembly  of  1864  imparted 
new  life  and  energy  to  the  publication  work.  Doubts 
and  distrusts  gave  place  to  warm  interest  on  the  part 
of  many,  to  cheerful  co-operation  on  the  part  of  others, 
and  to  acquiescence  on  the  part  of  all.  The  measures 
resolved  upon  were  carried  into  effect,  and  the  Com- 
mittee had  the  satisfaction  of  reporting  to  the  Assem- 
bly of  1866  that  the  full  sum  of  fifty  thousand  dollars 
had  been  secured  for  a  working  capital.  With  the 
finances  of  the  Committee  thus  happily  improved,  the 
list  of  its  publications  was  enlarged  and  its  benevolent 
and  missionary  work  exteuded. 

BUSINESS   SUPERINTENDENT. 

The  enlarging  work  of  the  Committee,  with  the  con- 
sequent increase  of  labor,  created  a  demand  for  a 
Business  Superintendent  competent  not  only  to  manage 


60  PUBLICATION   COMMITTEE. 

the  present  amount  of  business,  but  also  to  secure  its 
increase.  The  Rev.  S.  W.  Crittenden  was  chosen  to 
fill  this  post,  and  entered  the  service  of  the  Committee 
November  1,  1865.  Mr.  Crittenden  had  peculiar 
qualifications  for  this  office,  which  he  continued  to 
hold  until  the  Reunion.  The  growing  business  of  the 
Committee  and  the  increase  of  its  stock  called,  also,  for 
an  increase  of  accommodations,  and  an  extension  of 
the  Publication  House  was  erected  in  1866-67.  Still 
further  enlargement  was  reported  to  the  General  As- 
sembly of  1868. 

The  publication  of  The  Presbyterian  Monthly,  a 
magazine  representing  the  Committees  charged  by  the 
General  Assembly  with  its  works  of  benevolence,  was 
commenced  with  January,  1866. 

THE   secretary's    DECENNIAL    REPORT. 

The  Secretary,  at  the  end  of  his  first  ten  years' 
service,  reported  to  the  General  Assembly  of  1867 
that  the  publications  of  the  Committee  numbered  364. 
Of  these,  127  were  leaflets,  71  were  tracts  and  166 
were  books.  These  publications  combined  the  denom- 
inational with  the  evangelical,  the  general  with  the 
special.  Provision  was  made  for  the  young  in  a  series 
of  catechisms  and  lessons  for  the  little  ones ;  for  the 
Sabbath-school  there  was  a  goodly  and  growing  array 
of  library-volumes  ;  for  the  impenitent  and  inquiring 
were  works  to  awaken  and  to  counsel ;  for  the  Chris- 
tian, books  devotional,  historical  and  controversial ; 
and  for  the  service  of  song,  provision  for  the  Sabbath- 
school,  the  social  circle,  the  choir  and  the  Church. 


PUBLICATION    COMMITTEE.  61 

Though  but  a  beginning  had  been  made,  that  begin- 
ning was  sound,  symmetrical  and  promising,  full  of 
hope  for  the  future,  as  of  gratitude  for  the  past. 

The  increase  of  publications  was  accompanied  by  a 
corresponding  increase  in  the  ability  to  give  them  cir- 
culation. "  The  Presbyterian  Publication  Commit- 
tee "  became  known  to  the  trade.  Its  sales  rose  from 
$3,715.05,forthe  year  ending  May  1,1858,  to  $45,190.73, 
for  the  year  ending  May  1,  1867.  A  good  foundation 
was  laid  upon  which  to  build  ;  a  preparation  made  for 
widespread  usefulness ;  an  outlet  provided  for  zeal  for 
the  spread  of  the  truth  through  our  country  for  the 
sake  of  the  world. 

COLPORTAGE   WORK. 

The  Committee  had  the  matter  of  entrance  upon 
colportage  work  under  favorable  consideration  for 
several  years  preceding  the  Reunion,  and  something 
was  done  in  that  direction.  In  the  report  to  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly  of  1866  we  find  the  following  expression 
of  opinion  upon  this  subject : 

Our  Lord,  when  giving  to  his  disciples  his  last  charge, 
did  not  command  them  to  wait  and  give  the  truth  to  those 
who  came  for  it,  but  rather  to  go  and  proclaim  salvation 
to  those  who  asked  not  for  it.  And  so  it  must  ever  be. 
The  truth,  Avhether  it  be  the  spoken  or  the  printed  truth, 
must  be  carried  to  men.  They  Avill  not  come  for  it,  precious 
though  it  be.  Hence,  if  we  would  rightly  use  the  power 
entrusted  in  the  press,  effort  must  be  made  to  bear  to  the 
hands  and  homes  of  men  these  printed  messengers  and 
teachers.  It  will  not  do  simply  to  publish  valuable  truth 
in  books  and  tracts  and  look  for  men  to  seek  them :  the 


62  PUBLICATION   COMMITTEE. 

more  they  need  the  less  do  they  desire  them.  We  shall 
not  be  true  to  the  responsibilities  laid  upon  us  by  God's 
providence  unless  we  improve  this  power  put  into  our 
hands  by  carrying  the  printed  messages  to  the  homes  of 
the  people.    Colportage,  in  some  form,  must  be  adopted. 

The  Committee  have  not  been  in  haste  to  enter  upon  a 
costly  system  of  colportage  centring  in  the  Presbyterian 
House.  They  would  rather  encourage  a  system  for  which 
Presbyterianism  is  most  happily  adapted,  by  which  the 
responsibility  and  control  shall  be  in  the  hands  of  the 
Presbyteries  and  Synods,  the  Publication  Committee  fur- 
nishing the  material  for  carrying  out  the  Presbyterial  or 
Synodical  plan.  We  think  that  by  a  Presbyterial  or  Syn- 
odical  colportage  the  awakening  and  instructive  literature 
now  issued  by  the  Committee  may  be  economically  carried 
to  the  regions  of  which  our  churches  and  missionaries  are 
the  spiritual  centres.  Thus,  with  no  intrusion  upon  them 
of  an  outside  influence,  the  churches  themselves,  acting 
in  Presbytery  or  Synod,  will  inaugurate  and  control  an 
agency  for  the  diff"usion  of  a  religious  literature  within 
their  bounds.  As  their  own  it  will  have  the  countenance 
not  only,  but  tlie  active  support,  of  every  pastor,  and  full 
access  to  every  family. 

The  standing  committee  of  the  General  Assembly  to 
which  this  report  was  referred  reported  that,  in  their 
judgment,  "  some  system  of  colportage  should  be  in- 
augurated, under  the  supervision  of  the  Synods  or 
Presbyteries,  securing  a  more  extended  circulation  to 
the  publications  of  the  Committee.  The  plan  suggested 
is  this :  Let  each  Synod  or  Presbytery  employ  a  col- 
porteur, whose  work  shall  be  twofold — the  disposal  or 
sale  of  books,  receiving  his  salary  largely  from  com- 
missions  allowed,   and   co-operation  with   pastors   in 


PUBLICATION   COMMITTEE.  63 

attending  upon  social  meetings  and  aiming  to  extend 
a  deep  religious  interest  throughout  the  bounds  of  the 
Presbytery  or  Synod.  This  would  help  many  a  de- 
serving young  man  in  his  preparatory  course,  give  a 
wide  circulation  to  our  literature,  and  encourage  and 
facilitate  the  pastors  in  their  work." 

The  Assembly  approved  the  report,  and  unani- 
mously adopted  the  following  resolutions : 

That  the  Synods  or  Presbyteries  be  recommended  to 
appoint  students,  unemployed  ministers  or  earnest  Chris- 
tian laymen  as  colporteurs  to  circulate  the  books  of  the 
Publication  Committee,  and  to  co-operate  with  pastors  in 
every  good  word  and  work. 

That  a  place  of  sale  be  designated  in  every  town,  where 
it  shall  be  known  that  the  Committee's  publications  may 
be  obtained,  and  at  the  lowest  retail  price. 

These  recommendations  were  carried  into  only  par- 
tial effect  in  some  of  the  Synods  and  Presbyteries,  yet 
with  excellent  results  both  in  the  circulation  of  the 
Committee's  books  and  tracts  and  in  the  spiritual  work 
accomplished.  The  Assembly  of  1868  took  further 
action  upon  the  subject  of  colportage,  and  unani- 
mously adopted  the  following : 

It  is  a  question  of  serious  consideration  whether  a  sys- 
tem of  colportage  might  not  be  advantageously  inaugurated 
by  the  Publication  Committee  especially  with  a  view  to  the 
distribution  of  our  publications  in  the  congregations  of 
our  Church,  and  in  new  communities  where  there  are  Pres- 
byterian families  that  have  no  churches  of  our  order  within 
their  reach.  Whatever  d6p6ts  may  be  provided  in  differ- 
ent sections  of  the  country  for  the  publications  of  the 


64  PUBLICATION   COMMITTEE. 

Committee,  these  publications  will  not  be  generally  sought 
after  and  sent  for  through  mere  notices  of  the  places 
where  they  may  be  found.  In  these  days,  when  all  kinds 
of  literature  are  carried  to  the  doors  of  the  people,  our 
publications  must  be  actually  offered  to  the  churches  and 
individuals  for  whose  benefit  they  are  designed  if  they  are 
to  be  widely  distributed  ;  and  especially  will  this  be  found 
true  in  our  newer  States  and  Territories.  We  are  aware 
that  any  system  of  colportage  would  involve  expense,  and 
would  encounter  the  difficulty  of  finding  suitable  men  to 
carry  it  forward.  But  would  not  the  returns  from  the 
practical  influence  of  such  a  system,  in  the  form  of  in- 
creased contributions  from  the  churches  to  be  supplied 
with  the  publications,  very  soon  compensate  for  all  the 
expense  of  this  branch  of  the  work  ?  And  could  not 
efficient  laymen  be  found  to  engage  in  this  effort  who 
would  give  to  it  their  time  and  energies  on  very  moderate 
salaries  ? 

Confiding  in  the  practical  wisdom  of  the  Permanent 
Committee,  we  venture  to  recommend  that  they  be  in- 
structed to  institute  a  system  of  colportage  with  especial 
reference  to  the  distribution  of  the  publications  of  the 
Committee  throughout  all  the  congregations  in  our  con- 
nection, as  far  as  may  in  their  judgment  be  found  prac- 
ticable and  expedient. 

The  Publication  Committee  gave  to  these  sugges- 
tions and  recommendations  the  careful  consideration 
which  the  authority  of  the  General  Assembly  and  the 
importance  of  the  subject  demanded.  But,  in  view  of 
the  reunion  movement,  then  advancing  with  such  en- 
couragement, entrance  upon  the  colportage  work  was 
postponed,  so  as  to  avoid  embarrassment  in  consoli- 
dating the  two  publication  agencies. 


PUBLICATION    COMMITTEE.  65 

SABBATH-SCHOOL   WORK. 

The  Committee  from  year  to  year  attached  a  grow- 
ing importance  to  its  work  for  the  Sabbath-school.  In 
the  issuing  of  new  publications,  books  for  youth  held  a 
very  prominent  place.  Grants  of  its  publications  were 
made  to  needy  schools  as  liberally  as  the  funds  at  its 
disposal  allowed.  The  employment  of  Synodical  mis- 
sionaries or  of  missionaries  at  large  for  Sabbath-school 
and  colportage  work  was  frequently  considered.  With 
the  means  at  its  disposal,  the  Committee  did  not  feel 
justified  in  entering  largely  into  this  department  of 
labor,  involving,  as  it  did,  a  considerable  investment 
of  capital  and  larger  contributions  from  the  churches. 
In  May,  1869,  the  Committee  reported  to  the  General 
Assembly  as  follows : 

The  time  has  come,  in  the  judgment  of  the  Publication 
Committee,  when  the  relations  of  the  Sabbath-school  work 
to  the  general  work  of  the  Publication  Committee  justify 
and  demand  the  organization  of  a  distinct  departmental 
agency ;  and  a  sub-committee  on  Sabbath-schools,  there- 
fore, has  been  appointed,  and  an  organization  effected. 

It  is  not  implied  by  this  action  that  nothing  hitherto 
has  been  done  by  the  Publication  Committee  in  this  con- 
nection. The  work  of  Sabbath-school  extension,  the  aid 
of  Sabbath-school  mission  work  by  the  timely  appropria- 
tion of  libraries  and  the  selection  and  diffusion  of  Sab- 
bath-school literature  have  been  prominently  before  them, 
and  have  formed  an  important  part  of  their  work  for 
several  years.  But  the  growth  of  the  publication  interest, 
a  better  understanding  of  it  on  the  part  of  the  churches, 
the  closer  identification  of  this  interest  with  our  Sabbath- 
schools,  the  increased  number  of  applications  for  libraries 
5 


66  PUBLICATION   COMMITTEE. 

and  other  Sabbath-scliool  requisites  and  the  Committee's 
increased  facilities  for  meeting  these  applications  have 
seemed  to  make  it  desirable  that  this  department  of  the 
work  should  be  assigned  to  a  separate  sub-committee. 

It  is  designed  that  the  work  of  this  committee  shall 
have  regard — 

1.  To  the  general  supervision  of  the  Sabbath-school  de- 
partment of  our  work,  involving  the  regulation  and  diffu- 
sion of  a  Sabbath-school  literature  that  shall  have  respon- 
sible endorsement. 

2.  To  the  bringing  this  literature  before  the  churches, 
so  that  our  Sabbath-schools  may  be  provided  with  books" 
that  shall  be  wholly  unexceptionable. 

3.  To  the  awakening  a  deeper  interest  in  the  Sabbath- 
school  cause  throughout  our  bounds,  and  especially  to  pro- 
moting the  work  of  Sabbath-school  extension  in  our  wide, 
destitute  and  mission  fields,  by  correspondence,  by  personal 
agency  and  by  grants  of  libraries. 

4.  Incidentally,  and  through  an  agent  who  may  be  em- 
ployed for  the  general  field,  it  is  expected  that  improve- 
ment in  the  methods  and  spirit  of  teaching,  in  the  conduct 
of  schools  and  in  the  aims  and  appliances  of  teachers,  etc. 
will  be  secured  by  the  holding  of  local  conventions  and 
institutes. 

To  this  end  it  is  proposed  that  a  general  agent  be  at  once 
employed  who  shall  visit  the  churches  and  Sabbath  schools, 
put  them  in  connection  with  the  Committee's  work,  ac- 
quaint himself  with  the  needs  of  particular  localities,  and 
secure  in  every  way  possible  the  work  of  Sabbath-school 
extension  and  the  promotion  of  Sabbath-school  efficiency. 

The  Publication  Committee  are  aware  that  this  is  the 
very  work  in  part  contemplated  by  the  Assembly's  per- 
manent Sabbath -school  Committee.  But  it  is  also  a  work 
that  has  already  to  a  considerable  extent,  and  for  years, 


PUBLICATION   COMMITTEE.  67 

been  prosecuted  by  the  Publication  Committee.  The  issue 
of  reliable  Sabbath-school  books  is  one  of  the  principal 
features  of  the  business  department  of  publication,  the 
missionary  work  of  the  Publication  Committee  is  very 
largely  in  this  direction,  and  it  is  submitted  whether,  with 
more  complete  organization,  the  work  cannot  be  done 
more  efficiently  and  economically  inside  the  Publication 
Committee  than  by  an  independent  agency. 

It  needs  no.  argument  to  prove  that  it  is  unwise  to  create 
new  machinery  for  work  that  can  be  done  by  an  existing 
agency ;  that  it  is  undesirable  that  the  same  duties  should 
be  assigned  to  two  separate  committees,  as  this  would  in- 
evitably lead  to  a  conflict  of  action ;  that  two  treasuries 
should  be  created,  two  sets  of  officials  supported  and  two 
standing  appeals  to  the  churches  made  to  sustain  one  class 
of  operations. 

Moreover,  the  Committee  are  fully  persuaded  that  the 
already  gratifying  efficiency  and  growing  power  of  the 
publication  cause  of  our  Church  will  be  greatly  augmented, 
and  facilities  for  a  much  wider  sphere  of  operations  will 
be  furnished,  if  their  action  shall  be  endorsed  by  the 
General  Assembly. 

The  General  Assembly  approved  these  plans  and 
authorized  the  Publication  Committee,  "  at  their  dis- 
cretion, to  employ  a  General  Agent  to  visit  the  churches 
and  Sabbath-schools  and  bring  them  into  connection 
with  the  Committee's  work,  and  to  devote  himself  to 
the  cause  of  Sabbath-school  extension,  and  to  the  pro- 
motion of  higher  efficiency  in  our  Sabbath-schools 
generally." 

This  action  was  welcomed  by  the  Committee,  and  a 
sub-committee  on  Sabbath-school  work  was  appointed 
to  attend  to  this  most  important  department  of  church 


68  PUBLICATION   COMMITTEE. 

work.  After  careful  consideration,  a  minister  deemed 
well  qualified  was  recommended  for  the  i)Osition  of 
General  Agent  by  the  sub-committee  and  appointed 
by  the  General  Committee.  He,  however,  declined  the 
office,  and  the  Committee  renewed  its  efforts  to  secure 
a  man  suitable  for  the  post.  Inquiry  was  made  and 
correspondence  had,  but  Avithout  a  positive  decision 
until  the  year  was  so  far  advanced,  and  the  reunion  of 
the  two  great  branches  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  so 
assured  a  fact,  that  it  was  deemed  wise  and  delicate  to 
postpone  entering  upon  this  new  and  important  sphere 
of  labor — with  the  hope,  however,  that  in  the  new 
Board  to  be  appointed  by  the  General  Assembly  this 
department  would  be  both  wisely  and  efficiently  inau- 
gurated. How  this  hope  was  realized  we  shall  see  in 
subsequent  pages  of  this  history. 

RESIGNATION    OF   THE   REV.    ALBERT    BARNES. 

The  Committee,  at  its  meeting  April  18,  1870, 
received  the  resignation  of  its  Chairman,  the  Rev. 
Albert  Barnes.  Identified  as  Mr.  Barnes  had  been 
with  the  institution  from  its  inception,  and  endeared 
as  he  was  to  its  members,  they  could  not  accept  his 
resignation  without  regret.  Yet  so  positive  were  the 
terms  of  his  resignation  that  they  had  no  alternative 
but  to  receive  it  and  release  their  honored  and  beloved 
colaborer.  The  Committee  followed  the  earnestly- 
expressed  desire  of  Mr.  Barnes,  and  "  merely  recorded 
on  its  minutes  the  fact  of  his  resignation  and  its 
acceptance,  with  no  comment."  In  a  letter  addressed 
to  him  they  gave  expression  to  the  feelings  which  hia 


PUBLICATION   COMMITTEE.  69 

retirement  occasioned.  And  on  the  24th  of  December, 
1870,  only  eight  months  after  resigning  his  position  as 
Chairman  of  the  Publication  Committee,  Mr.  Barnes 
was  translated.  He  had  gone  to  the  home  of  a  former 
parishioner  to  condole  with  him  after  a  recent  bereave- 
ment, and  while  sitting  in  the  parlor,  and  suddenly, 
without  any  preintimation,  he  was  summoned  home, 
and  in  a  moinent  was  gone  to  be  with  his  Lord. 

During  the  last  years  preceding  the  Reunion  there 
was  a  steady,  healthful  growth  alike  in  the  business 
and  the  benevolence  of  the  Committee.  The  total  sales 
for  the  year  ending  March  31,  1870,  were  $48,876.85. 
In  the  purely  benevolent  department  of  its  work  the 
Committee  expended  $8,880.28.  Its  catalogue  of  pub- 
lications then  contained  the  names  of  503  works — 127 
leaflets,  100  tracts,  and  276  books.  Its  capital  amounted 
to  $122,544.50. 

Its  final  report  to  the  Assembly  of  the  reunited 
Church  gave  the  following  resume  of  its  history  and 
work  : 

For  the  last  time,  as  the  agency  of  a  branch  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church,  does  the  Presbyterian  Publication  Com- 
mittee present  to  the  General  Assembly  its  annual  report. 
Eighteen  years  since,  "The  Doctrinal  Tract  Committee" 
was  organized  by  the  General  Assembly,  in  1852.  In  1853 
the  Assembly  suggested  to  it  "  the  desirableness  of  issuing 
a  few  tracts  "  which  should  clearly  exhibit  the  views  of 
the  body.  In  1855  the  title  of  the  Committee  was  changed 
to  that  of  "  The  Presbyterian  Publication  Committee," 
and  in  1857  its  sphere  of  operations  was  enlarged  so  as  to 
cover  the  field  of  denominational  and  religious  literature. 

At  this  time  the  whole  list  of  the  Committee  consisted 


70  PUBLICATION  COMMITTEE. 

of  four  tracts,  the  Confession  of  Faith,  Barnes's  Apostolic 
Church  and  an  almanac.  The  "  Doctrinal-Tract "  idea  had 
totally  failed  to  awaken  the  interest  of  the  churches.  Nor 
did  the  wider  basis  of  a  denominational  literature  rapidly 
kindle  their  enthusiasm.  It  was  by  slow  steps,  and  earnest 
effort  on  the  part  of  its  friends,  that  the  Committee  secured 
a  footing  for  the  discharge  of  its  duties,  and  in  1865  a 
capital  of  $50,000  as  a  foundation  for  its  publication  work. 

With  the  ability  to  do  something  tangible  and  useful, 
the  cause  advanced  in  the  interest  and  affection  of  the 
churches.  Since  1865  its  growth  has  been  steady,  cheer- 
ing and  satisfactory.  The  Committee's  list  of  publications 
has  had  a  healthful  increase,  and  of  late  years  its  books 
and  tracts  have  been  issued  rapidly,  and  have  met  with 
great  and  increasing  approbation  from  those  within  the 
bounds  of  the  denomination,  as  well  as  with  commenda- 
tion from  Christians  of  other  branches  of  the  Church.  At 
the  same  time,  through  the  gifts  of  the  churches,  the  Com- 
mittee, by  the  gratuitous  distribution  of  its  publications, 
has  done  noble  service  to  the  cause  of  Christ.  Home 
missionaries  and  their  fields  of  labor,  Sabbath-schools,  the 
freedmen  and  earnest  Christians  have  thus  been  helped, 
and  the  preaching  of  the  printed  page  has  been  added  to 
the  preaching  of  the  Christian  voice  and  life. 

In  laying  down  its  trust  the  Presbyterian  Publication 
Committee  would  devoutly  render  thanks  to  God  for  his 
blessings  upon  labors  sincerely,  though  often  imperfectly, 
performed. 


III. 
PRESBYTERIAN  BOARD  OF  PUBLICATION. 

1870—1887. 


PRESBYTERIAN  BOARD  OF  PUBLICATION. 


REUNION   AND   CONSOLIDATION. 

The  reunion  of  the  two  Branches,  Old  and  New 
School,  into  which  the  Church  was  divided  in  1838,  was 
happily  effected  in  November,  1869.  The  two  General 
Assemblies,  meeting  in  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania,  by 
which  the  Basis  of  Reunion  was  declared  to  be  of  bind- 
ing force,  appointed  each  a  special  Committee  of  Five 
to  take  into  consideration  the  affairs  of  the  "  Presby- 
terian Board  of  Publication  "  and  the  "  Presbyterian 
Publication  Committee,"  and  to  recommend  to  the 
Assembly  of  1870  what  changes  were  required  for  the 
union  of  the  two  organizations  in  one.  These  two 
Committees  formed  the  Joint  Committee  of  Ten  on 
Publication,  and  consisted  of  the  following  gentlemen  : 

Rev.  Z.  M.  Humphrey,  D.  D., 

Rev.  William  E.  Schenck,  D.  D„ 

Rev.  J.  Glentworth  Butler,  D.  D., 

Rev.  William  P.  Breed,  D.  D., 

Rev.  John  W.  Dulles, 

Rev.  Elijah  R,  Craven,  D.  D,, 

Mr.  James  M.  Browner, 

John  T.  Nixon,  Esq., 

John  S.  Knight,  Esq., 

George  Junkin,  Esq. 

73 


74  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

The  report  of  this  Joint  Committee  was  presented 
to  the  General  Assembly  of  1870  by  Dr.  Humphrey, 
and  after  amendment  was  adopted,  as  follows: 

The  special  Committee  of  Five  from  each  of  the  recent 
Branches  of  the  Church  appointed  to  take  into  considera- 
tion the  afiairs  of  the  Publication  Board  and  Committee 
of  said  Branches,  and  "  to  recommend  to  the  Assembly  of 
the  United  Church  what  changes  are  required  in  said 
Board  and  Committee,"  respectfully  report, 

That  they  have  endeavored  to  give  the  matter  referred  to 
them  that  earnest  and  prayerful  consideration  which  its 
importance  demands. 

They  regard  the  work  of  the  Church  to  be  prosecuted 
through  this  agency  as  scarcely  second  to  that  of  any  of 
our  Boards.  It  is  not  only  closely  related  to  our  mission- 
ary enterprises,  but  is  itself,  in  many  of  its  aspects,  a  mis- 
sionary work.  Its  aim  is  the  dissemination  of  vital  truth, 
both  among  congregations  already  established  and  among 
the  people  who  are  never  reached  by  the  heralds  of  salva- 
tion. It  is  at  once  auxiliary  to  the  ministry  and  of  itself 
a  ministry.  Every  tract  is,  or  should  be,  a  message  from 
God.  Every  Sunday-school  book  should  be  a  preacher  of 
righteousness. 

To  effect  this  work  involves  a  liberal  use  of  money,  of 
mind,  and  of  every  resource  committed  by  God  to  human 
hands. 

The  first  necessity  is  a  Central  House  of  Publication, 
which  should  be  endowed  with  every  appliance  needed  for 
the  preparation  and  the  diffusion  of  religious  literature. 
Economy,  of  course,  should  be  studied.  It  is  not,  in  our 
view,  essential  that  large  sums  be  invested  in  the  ma- 
chinery of  publication,  such  as  presses  and  binderies.  The 
use  of  this  machinery  can  be  commanded  without  pur- 
chase.    But  it  is  essential  that  a  proper  house  be  provided 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  75 

for  the  transaction  of  the  business  of  this  agency,  and  for 
the  issue  and  circulation  of  its  literature.  The  buildings 
erected  for  this  purpose,  and  now  under  the  control  of  the 
Assembly,  are  wholly  inadequate.  Both  are  small  and  ill- 
arranged.  Neither  has  been  found  sufficient  for  the  wants 
of  the  Church  as  divided ;  the  work  for  the  Church  as 
united  will  be  vastly  greater  than  has  ever  yet  been  at- 
tempted. It  is  believed,  also,  that  so  far  as  possible  all 
the  operations  of  the  United  Church  conducted  from 
Philadelphia  should  be  concentrated  under  one  roof.  The 
House  of  Publication  should  be  virtually  a  Presbyterian 
House — a  centre  and  a  home  for  the  denomination,  a  rally- 
ing-point  for  all  the  interests  of  the  Church  which  the 
Assembly  in  its  wisdom  may  localize  in  this  city.  The 
advantages  of  such  a  concentration  in  facilitating  the 
transaction  of  the  business  of  the  Church,  in  promoting 
the  general  convenience,  and  in  fostering  a  proper  denomi- 
national life  and  spirit,  are  too  obvious  to  require  remark. 
But  to  effect  this  a  new  and  extensive  building  must  be 
erected,  and  it  is  believed  that  the  recognition  of  this 
necessity  by  the  Assembly  will  so  enlist  the  sympathy  of 
the  Church  as  to  secure  the  ready  accomplishment  of  the 
plan  submitted  in  the  subjoined  resolutions. 

The  second  necessity  is  an  efficient  Board  and  proper 
officers.  The  Board  should  be  constituted,  we  believe,  of 
a  comparatively  small  number  of  thoroughly  practical, 
wise  and  energetic  men,  all  of  whom  can  be  relied  upon  to 
attend  the  meetings  of  the  Board,  and  to  devote  their  per- 
sonal attention  to  its  operations.  This  number  should  be 
somewhat  larger  than  may  be  required  by  the  other  Boards 
of  the  Church,  inasmuch  as  its  work  will  necessitate 
several  sub-committees.  It  should  be  also  somewhat 
larger  than  required  by  the  constitution  of  these  sub- 
committees, in   order  that  vacancies  in  the  committees 


76  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATrON. 

themselves  may  be  readily  filled  by  men  of  experience, 
and  in  order  that  perplexing  questions  may  be  submitted 
to  the  wisdom  of  a  full  council ;  yet  the  number  should 
not  be  so  large  as  to  weaken  a  sense  of  individual  respon- 
sibility. 

Experience  has  proved  that  a  few  men,  each  of  whom 
can  be  easily  reached,  all  of  whom  have  a  vital  interest  in 
the  trust  confided  to  them,  will  perform  any  given  labor 
more  efficiently  than  a  large  Board  whose  members  are  so 
difiused  as  to  be  seldom  collected,  or  as  to  forget  the  claims 
of  a  duty  whose  immediate  field  is  far  away. 

The  officers  of  this  Board  should  be  men  adapted  to 
their  sphere,  carefully  selected,  in  number  sufficient  to 
conduct  the  business  placed  in  their  hands,  and  so  remu- 
nerated that  they  can  devote  their  entire  time  and  energies 
to  the  work.  The  Board  should  also  be  empowered  to 
employ  such  other  assistants  as  in  their  judgment  may  be 
required. 

The  third  necessity  is  the  maintenance  of  a  force  of 
colporteurs  sufficiently  large  to  reach  the  outlying  popula- 
tion of  the  land  by  the  gospel,  and  to  prepare  the  way  for 
the  establishment  of  churches  wherever  they  may  be  made 
permanent  and  effectual.  Provision  should  also  be  made 
for  the  supply  of  Sunday-school  libraries,  and  of  the  gen- 
eral literature  of  the  Board  on  the  liberal  terms  of  an 
enlarged  Christian  benevolence. 

The  fulfillment  of  these  conditions  will  be  found  to  re- 
quire some  changes,  notwithstanding  the  admirable  man- 
ner in  which  this  work  has  been  conducted  hitherto.  Our 
beloved  Church  has  already  accomplished  so  much  in  the 
direction  indicated  that  we  can  refer  to  its  past  operations 
with  just  thanksgiving,  but,  while  we  think  no  great  and 
radical  changes  in  this  department  of  our  Christian  work 
are  desirable,  the  day  has  now  come  for  an  enlargement 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  77 

of  all  our  plans — a  fresh  and  more  vigorous  movement  in 
the  development  of  a  spirit  of  enterprise  for  Christ. 

God's  promises  were  always  full.  His  providence  now 
calls  us  to  new  faith  in  the  promises,  and  to  a  new  conse- 
cration to  that  work  with  which  the  fulfillment  of  the 
same  glorious  prophecy  is  associated. 

We  therefore  respectfully  recommend  the  adoption  by 
this  General  Assembly  of  the  following  resolutions  as 
comprehending  the  changes,  in  our  judgment,  required  in 
order  to  the  union  and  reorganization  of  the  Presbyterian 
Board  of  Publication  and  the  Presbyterian  Publication 
Committee — viz. : 

Resolved,  1.  That  the  said  Board  and  Committee  are 
hereby  united  under  the  name  and  title  of  the  "Presby- 
terian Board  of  Publication." 

2.  That  said  Board  shall  henceforth  be  composed  of 
forty-eight  members,  one-half  of  whom  shall  be  ministers 
and  one-half  laymen.  These  members  shall  be  divided 
into  three  classes,  one  class  containing  eight  ministers  and 
eight  laymen,  after  the  present  year  to  be  elected  annu- 
ally by  the  General  Assembly  for  a  term  of  three  years. 

3.  In  order  to  an  immediate  and  thorough  reorganiza- 
tion of  the  Board,  all  persons  now  members  of  the  Board 
and  the  Committee  are  discontinued  and  their  member- 
ship ceases,  and  the  following  persons,  taken  in  equal 
number  from  each  of  the  late  Branches,  are  recommended 
to  fill  the  three  classes. 

For  the  class  whose  term  shall  expire  in  May,  1871 : 

MINISTERS.  LAYMEN. 

Rev.  Alexander  Reed,  D.  D.,  Henry  E.  Thomas, 
Rev.  J.  Grier  Ralston,  D.  D.,  John  Sibley, 
Rev.  Robert  M.  Patterson,      James  T.  Young, 
Rev.  Thomas  Murphy,  H.  Lenox  Hodge,  M.  D., 


78  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

MINISTERS.  LAYMEN. 

Rev.  Peter  Stryker,  D.D.,       Edwd.  R.  Hutchins,  M.  D., 
Rev.  Stephen  W.  Dana,  William  L.  Hildeburn, 

Rev.  Richard  H.  Allen,  D.  D.,  William  E.  Camp, 
Rev.  William  T.  Eva,  Horatio  B.  Lincoln. 

For  the  class  whose  term  shall  expire  in  May,  1872 : 
Rev.  Geo.  F.  Wiswell,  D.  D.,   George  W.  Simons, 
Rev.  John  W.  Dulles,  Joseph  Allison, 

Rev.  Daniel  March,  D.  D.,      Henry  N.  Paul, 
Rev.  H.  Augustus  Smith,        Edward  Miller, 
Rev.  Willard  M.  Rice,  D.  D.,  James  Ross  Snowden, 
Rev.  F.  R.  Harbaugh,  John  D.  McCord, 

Rev.  M.  B.  Grier,  D.  D.,  Gilbert  Combs, 

Rev.  Matthew  Newkirk,         Gustavus  S.  Benson. 

For  the  class  whose  term  shall  expire  in  May,  1873 : 
Rev.Wm.  P.  Breed,  D.  D.,        Morris  Patterson, 
Rev.  Wm.  E.  Schenck,  D.  D.,  Winthrop  Sargent, 
Rev.  D.  A  Cunningham,         Archibald  Mclntyre, 
Rev.  Benjamin  L.  Agnew,       George  Junkin, 
Rev.  Z.  M.  Humphrey,  D.  D.,   Samuel  C.  Perkins, 
Rev.  William  E.  Moore,  William  E.  Tenbrook, 

Rev.Thos.  J.  Shepherd,  D.  D.,  Robert  N.  Willson, 
Rev.  Herrick  Johnson,  D.  D.,  Alexander  Whilldin. 

4.  Said  Board  shall  hold  at  least  four  regular  meetings 
in  the  course  of  each  year,  in  the  months  of  June,  October, 
January  and  April.  Its  first  meeting  shall  be  held  at  821 
Chestnut  Street,  at  4  o'clock  p.  M.,  on  the  second  Tuesday 
of  June  of  the  present  year. 

5.  The  Executive  Officers  of  the  Board  shall  be  a  Secre- 
tary or  Secretaries,  whose  title  and  duties  shall  be  defined 
by  the  Board,  and  a  Treasurer. 

6.  All  other  internal  arrangements  necessary  for  carry- 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  79 

ing  out  the  purposes  of  its  organization  shall  be  made  by 
the  Board  of  Publication  after  its  reorganization. 

7.  Each  Presbytery  is  directed  to  appoint  one  or  more 
of  its  members  a  Presbyterial  Publication  Committee, 
which  Committee  shall  in  that  Presbytery  supervise  the 
work  of  securing  an  annual  collection  for  this  Board  from 
each  of  its  churches;  shall  search  out  and  recommend  to 
the  Board  suitable  persons  to  act  as  colporteurs ;  shall  cor- 
respond with  the  Board  in  reference  to  its  work  in  that 
Presbytery ;  and  shall  do  whatever  else  may  tend  to  pro- 
mote the  work  and  interests  of  the  Board,  and  to  secure 
thorough  distribution  of  the  Board's  publications  within 
and  throughout  the  bounds  of  the  Presbytery. 

8.  All  the  property,  of  whatever  kind,  now  owned  by 
the  "  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication "  and  by  the 
"Presbyterian  Publication  Committee,"  or  held  by  any 
Board  of  Trustees  for  the  use  and  benefit  of  either  of 
them,  is  hereby  directed  to  be  united,  and  placed  in  pos- 
session of  "  The  Trustees  of  the  Presbyterian  Board  of 
Publication,"  incorporated  by  the  Legislature  of  the  State 
of  Pennsylvania,  and  whose  charter  was  approved  by  the 
Governor  of  the  State  on  the  13th  day  of  February,  A.  d. 
1847.  And,  in  order  that  the  late  two  branches  of  the 
Presbyterian  Churches,  now  happily  reunited,  may  have, 
as  nearly  as  possible,  an  equal  representation  in  said  Board 
of  Trustees  of  the  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication 
(there  now  being  enough  vacancies  by  death  and  resigna- 
tion to  effect  the  changes  proposed),  the  Board  of  Publica- 
tion is  directed  at  its  next  meeting,  in  the  month  of  June, 
to  elect  the  following  persons  to  be  members  of  this  Board 
of  Trustees : 

For  One  Year. — Alexander  Whilldin,  Samuel  C.  Per- 
kins, Archibald  Mclntyre. 

For  Two  Fears.— Morris  Patterson,  William  E.  Ten- 
brook. 


80  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

For  Three  Years. — George  Junkin,  James  Ross  Snowden 
and  Robert  N.  Willson. 

9.  The  "Trustees  of  the  Presbyterian  House"  are  here- 
by directed  to  convey,  by  a  good  and  sufficient  legal  title, 
to  "  The  Trustees  of  the  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publica- 
tion," the  house  and  lot  Nos.  1334  and  1336  Chestnut 
Street,  now  occupied  by  the  Presbyterian  Publication 
Committee  in  part  as  a  book-store,  and  any  other  property 
now  in  their  possession,  or  which  may  hereafter  come  into 
their  possession,  for  the  use  of  the  Presbyterian  Publica- 
tion Committee ;  and  should  any  legal  difficulties  be  found 
in  the  way  of  making  such  a  conveyance  or  transfer,  then 
"  The  Trustees  of  the  Presbyterian  House"  and  "The  Trus- 
tees of  the  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication  "  are  hereby 
directed  to  procure,  as  speedily  as  possible,  such  special 
enactments  from  the  Legislature  of  this  State,  or  decrees 
of  any  courts  of  competent  jurisdiction,  as  shall  remove 
those  difficulties. 

10.  The  General  Assembly  recommends  the  Board  of 
Publication,  as  soon  as  practicable  after  its  reorganization, 
to  sell  its  house  and  lot  No.  821  Chestnut  Street,  and  to 
provide  a  larger  house,  adequate  to  its  now  extended  oper- 
ations and  to  the  prospective  growth  of  its  business,  on 
the  premises  Nos.  1334  and  1336  Chestnut  Street,  or  in 
that  vicinity. 

11.  In  order  that  the  above  recommendation  may  be 
carried  out,  so  as  to  provide  ample  accommodations  for 
the  Board's  future  business,  and  for  all  our  other  Presby- 
terian interests  in  this  city,  it  is  recommended  that  the 
sum  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  be  raised  among  our 
churches  and  people  for  the  erection  and  equipment  of 
said  Presbyterian  House,  and  all  contributions  made 
thereto  shall  be  recognized  as  a  part  of  the  offering  of  five 
millions  of  dollars  which  it  was  at  Pittsburgh  resolved  to 
raise. 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  81 

12.  All  the  Committees  and  officers  of  the  Board  of 
Publication,  and  of  the  Publication  Committee,  are  re- 
quested to  continue  to  perform  their  respective  duties  as  at 
present,  until  otherwise  directed  by  the  newly-organized 
Board  of  Publication. 

13.  That  the  Board  of  Publication  and  the  Publication 
Committee  be  directed  to  submit  to  the  next  General 
Assembly  a  full  statement  of  the  property  of  said  Boards, 
consisting  of.  real  estate,  copyrights,  books,  paper,  plates, 
and  any  other  assets,  with  an  estimate  of  the  value  thereof. 

The  Report  of  the  Presbyterian  Publication  Com- 
mittee, together  with  that  of  the  Presbyterian  Board 
of  Publication,  was  presented  to  the  General  Assembly 
of  1870,  and  by  it  referred  to  a  Committee,  of  which 
the  Rev.  James  McCosh,  D.  D.,  was  Chairman.  The 
report  of  that  Committee  was  brought  in  by  Dr. 
McCosh,  and,  after  amendment,  was  adopted  as  follows  : 

Your  Committee  are  satisfied  that  during  the  past  year 
the  "  Board  of  Publication  "  and  the  "  Presbyterian  Publi- 
cation Committee"  have  done  the  work  committed  to 
them  faithfully  and  efficiently. 

Your  Committee  appointed  sub-committees  to  examine 
the  Minutes  of  the  Board  of  Publication  for  the  past  year, 
the  Minutes  of  the  Executive  Committee  of  that  Board, 
and  the  Eeport  of  the  Presbyterian  Publication  Com- 
mittee, and  they  report  that  they  have  found  all  these  in  a 
satisfactory  state ;  and  we  recommend  that  the  Minutes  of 
the  Board  of  Publication,  and  of  its  Executive  Committee, 
be  signed,  as  approved,  by  the  Moderator  of  the  General 
Assembly. 

From  the  Report  of  the  Board  of  Publication  we  learn 
that  they  have  issued  fifty  new  books,  besides  many  tracts 
in  the  English,  German,  Portuguese  and  Spanish  lan- 
6 


82  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

guages — in  all,  128,500  copies  of  new  publications ;  that 
of  former  publications  they  have  issued  589,400  copies, 
and  that  since  its  organization  the  Board  has  published 
15,182,788  copies  of  books  and  tracts.  We  are  happy  to 
find  that  the  Sabbath-School  Visitor  has  increased  in  circu- 
lation, and  that  now  156,000  copies  are  issued  monthly. 
We  have  to  express  our  regret  that  the  circulation  of  the 
Record  has  decreased  during  the  past  year  from  16,000  to 
12,000  copies.  The  net  value  of  the  whole  issues  of  the 
Board  has  been  $114,763,  and  the  balance  in  the  treasury 
at  the  end  of  the  year,  $14,627. 

The  Presbyterian  Publication  Committee  have  published 
sixty-nine  new  publications,  of  which  fifty-four  are  bound 
volumes.  Since  the  year  1865  the  work  of  publishing  and 
circulating  has  been  progressing  steadily,  and  the  results 
have  been  cheering  and  encouraging. 

Special  attention  has  been  paid  both  by  the  Board  and 
Committee  to  the  preparing  and  issuing  of  a  wholesome 
and  lively  Sabbath-school  literature,  fitted  to  interest  the 
young,  and  yet  free  from  the  sensational  features  distin- 
guishing so  many  of  the  works  written  for  the  use  of  the 
young  in  our  day. 

While  your  Committee  believe  that  the  Board  of  Publi- 
cation and  the  Publication  Committee  have  done  all  in 
their  power  to  fulfill  the  trust  committed  to  them,  they  are 
convinced  at  the  same  time  that  they  have  not  been  able 
to  accomplish  all  that  is  required  of  them  by  the  pressing 
wants  of  the  country.  We  do  trust  that  the  newly-organ- 
ized Board  of  the  reunited  Churches  will  be  so  sustained 
by  ministers.  Sabbath-school  teachers  and  congregations 
that  it  will  be  able  to  do  vastly  more  than  the  separated 
agencies  could  accomplish. 

We  find  that  the  last  General  Assembly  authorized  the 
Presbyterian  Publication  Committee  at  its  discretion  to 
employ  a  general  agent  to  visit  the  churches  and  Sabbath- 


BOA  ED   OF   PUBLICATION.  83 

schools,  and  to  bring  them  into  connection  with  the  Com- 
mittee's work,  and  devote  himself  to  the  cause  of  Sabbath- 
school  extension,  and  to  the  promotion  of  higher  efficiency 
in  our  Sabbath-schools  generally.  In  consequence  of  the 
prospective  reunion  of  the  two  great  Branches  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  the  Committee  did  not  take  positive 
action  on  this  proposal,  but  it  is  clear  that  they  are 
deeply  impressed  with  its  great  importance. 

In  view  of.  the  considerations  thus  brought  before  them, 
your  Committee  invite  the  attention  of  the  newly-organ- 
ized Board  to  the  following  points  : 

1.  We  recommend  the  Board  to  give  special  and  promi- 
nent attention  to  Sabbath-school  literature,  and  to  its 
introduction  into  Sabbath-schools. 

2.  We  recommend  that  the  Board,  at  as  early  a  date  as 
possible,  consider  the  propriety  of  establishing  a  depart- 
ment of  Sabbath-schools,  whose  office  it  shall  be  to  pro- 
mote the  number  and  efficiency  of  Sabbath-schools 
throughout  the  congregations  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

3.  We  recommend  that  the  excellent  Sabbath- School 
Visitor  should  be  circulated  much  more  widely  than  it  has 
hitherto  been,  and  that  the  pastors  and  churches  should 
exert  themselves  to  secure  this  end. 

4.  We  recommend  that  the  two  publications,  the  Record 
and  the  Presbyterian  Monthly,  be  merged  in  one,  and  that 
measures  be  devised  and  adopted  to  have  that  one  peri- 
odical competently  edited  and  full  of  information  likely 
to  interest  the  families  of  our  people. 

5.  Your  Committee  are  deeply  impressed  with  the 
importance  of  the  colportage  work  conducted  by  the 
Board,  and  would  strongly  urge  its  extension  as  being  the 
means  best  fitted  to  make  known  the  truths  of  salvation 
to  multitudes  in  our  country,  as  to  Roman  Catholics  and 
persons  separated  from  the  ordinary  means  of  grace. 


84  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

6.  We  recommend  that  the  Board  consider  what  may  be 
the  best  means  of  effecting  some  understanding  as  to  the 
issue  of  Books  of  Psalmody,  and  report  on  the  subject  to 
the  next  General  Assembly. 

7.  Your  Committee  are  happy  to  find  that  books  and 
tracts  have  been  furnished  so  generally  to  ministers,  to 
domestic  and  foreign  missionaries,  and  to  Sabbath-schools, 
and  they  recommend  that  these  gifts  be  continued  and 
increased. 

ORGANIZATION. 

The  new  Board  met  June  14,  1870,  and  organized 
in  accordance  with  the  directions  of  the  Assembly. 
The  following  officers  were  elected  : 

President. — Rev.  Alexander  Reed,  D.  D. 

Vice-Presidents. — Hon.  Joseph  Allison,  LL.D., 
Morris  Patterson,  Rev.  Matthew  B.  Grier,  D.  D. 

Corresponding  Secretary. — Rev.  William  E.  Schenck, 
D.D. 

Editorial  Secretary. — Rev.  John  W.  Dulles. 

Recording  Clerk. — Rev.  Willard  M.  Rice,  D.  D. 

Treasurer  and  Superintendent  of  Colportage. — Win- 
throp  Sargent. 

At  a  subsequent  meeting  of  the  Board,  held  Septem- 
ber 27,  1870,  Mr.  John  A.  Black  was  elected  Business 
Superintendent — an  office  for  which  his  thirty  years' 
experience  in  the  service  of  the  Board  had  given  him 
peculiar  qualifications. 

A  system  of  By-laws  was  adopted  and  the  methods 
of  administration  ^vere  outlined.  The  entire  work  was 
divided  into  five  branches,  and  entrusted  to  as  many 
Permanent  Committees,  each  caring  for  its  own  depart- 


BOARD   OF    PUBLICATION.  85 

ment  and  reporting  its  actions  for  approval  at  the 
monthly  meetings  of  the  Board.  These  Committees 
were  (1)  The  Publishing  Committee,  to  which  was  given 
the  examination  of  all  manuscripts  for  books  and 
tracts ;  (2)  The  Periodical  Committee,  having  the  over- 
sight of  the  periodicals  of  the  Board  ;  (3)  The  Mission- 
ary Committee,  with  the  charge  of  the  colporteur  work, 
gratuitous  distribution  and  Sabbath-school  work ;  (4) 
The  Business  Committee,  with  oversight  and  charge  of 
the  business  and  property  of  the  Board ;  and  (5)  The 
Auditing  Committee,  whose  duty  it  was  to  examine  all 
bills  and  accounts  due  by  the  Board,  and  if  correct 
approve  them  for  payment ;  to  oversee  and  direct  the 
manner  of  keeping  the  accounts  of  the  Board,  and  to 
audit  the  Treasurer's  annual  account. 

TRUSTEES   OF   THE   BOARD. 

The  gentlemen  named  by  the  Assembly  were  also 
elected  as  Trustees  of  the  Board.  They  entered  at 
once  upon  their  work,  and  carried  out  faithfully  the 
instructions  given  them.  The  property  of  the  former 
Board  and  that  of  the  Publication  Committee  were 
consolidated,  the  title  being  vested  in  the  Trustees  of 
the  Board  of  Publication.  The  net  capital  of  the 
reorganized  Board,  as  appears  from  a  Consolidated 
Balance  Sheet  dated  October  15,  1870,  amounted  to 
$417,282.18,  of  which  the  old  Board  of  Publication 
furnished  $294,737.68  and  the  Publication  Committee 
$122,544.50. 

NEW   PUBLICATION   HOUSE. 

The  building  previously  occupied  by  the  Board  was 


Ob  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

at  once  offered  for  sale,  and  the  reorganized  Board 
occupied  the  premises  No.  1334  Chestnut  Street.  An 
able  and  experienced  Building  Committee  was  ap- 
pointed to  carry  out  the  recommendation  of  the  As- 
sembly "to  provide  a  larger  house  adequate  to  its 
extended  operations,  and  to  the  prospective  growth  of 
its  business,  on  the  premises  Nos.  1334  and  1336  Chest- 
nut Street."  The  following-named  gentlemen  consti- 
tuted this  Committee : 

William  E.  Tenbrook,  Chairman, 

Morris  Patterson, 

Edward  Miller, 

Gustavus  S.  Benson, 

Hon.  Joseph  Allison, 

John  D.  McCord, 

Samuel  C.  Perkins, 

George  Junkin, 

Alexander  Whilldin. 
The  Committee  prosecuted  its  work  with  commend- 
able despatch.  The  new  Publication  House  was 
completed  and  opened  to  the  public  November  20, 
1872.  The  cost  of  the  building  and  its  furniture  was 
$149,356.  Of  this  amount,  $50,000  were  derived 
from  the  sale  of  the  Publication  House  of  the  Old 
School  branch.  About  $57,451  were  received  from 
subscriptions  and  other  sources  (including  a  donation 
of  $25,000  from  the  late  John  A.  Brown),  and  $43,000 
remained  as  an  incumbrance  upon  the  property.  This, 
with  the  $25,000  mortgage  upon  the  property  at  the 
Reunion,  made  a  mortgage  debt  of  $68,000,  of  which 
$28,000  were  paid  in  1876  and  $40,000  in  1877,  thus 


Publication  House,  1334  Chestnut  Street. 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  87 

removing  all  incumbrance  within  less  than  five  years 
from  the  completion  of  the  edifice. 

The  Publication  House  presents  a  handsome  granite 
front  of  forty-four  feet  in  width  and  four  stories  in 
height  on  Chestnut  Street.  It  is  two  hundred  and 
thirty  feet  deep,  running  through  to  Sansom  Street,  in 
the  rear.  The  basement  is  fireproof  throughout,  and 
is  used  mainly  for  the  storage  of  stereotype  plates. 
The  entire  first  floor  is  occupied  by  the  book-store, 
with  its  retail  and  wholesale  departments.  The  second 
story  contains  a  large  Assembly-Room,  which  is  used 
for  meetings  not  only  of  the  Board,  but  also  of  the 
Presbytery  of  Philadelphia,  of  the  Ministers'  Associ- 
ation, of  the  Trustees  of  the  General  Assembly,  and  a 
variety  of  other  interests  and  institutions  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church  centring  naturally  in  Philadelphia. 
On  the  same  floor  are  also  the  ofiices  of  the  Board  of 
Publication,  of  the  Assembly's  Board  of  Education, 
and  of  its  Board  of  Ministerial  Relief.  The  last  two 
named,  which  are  the  only  benevolent  schemes  of  the 
General  Assembly  located  in  Philadelphia  besides  the 
Board  of  Publication,  immediately  on  the  opening  of 
the  new  House,  took  possession  of  the  apartments 
which  the  Board  of  Publication  had  invited  them  to 
occupy  without  charge  for  rent,  light  or  fuel,  thus 
saving  these  two  institutions  of  the  Church  from  an 
annual  expenditure  of  several  thousands  of  dollars. 
The  Woman's  Foreign  Missionary  Board  has  apart- 
ments on  the  same  terms  in  the  third  story,  which, 
with  this  exception,  is  chiefly  used  for  the  storage  of 
merchandise  connected  with  the  book-store. 


88  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

The  Board  of  Publication,  in  the  erection  of  thia 
edifice,  did  far  more  than  merely  provide  the  accom- 
modations necessary  for  its  own  varied  operations. 
It  conferred  a  benefaction  on  the  whole  Presbyterian 
Church,  and  especially  on  all  its  interests  and  insti- 
tutions centring  in  Philadelphia.  It  supplied  to  them 
all,  without  charge,  convenient  headquarters  and  a 
place  for  their  meetings — a  denominational  home  where 
our  ministers,  our  ruling  elders,  our  Sabbath-school 
superintendents  and  teachers  and  all  the  members  of 
our  churches  may  come  together  as  members  of  the 
same  Christian  family  and  have  their  zeal  and  courage 
stimulated  to  undertake  new  enterprises  for  Christ  and 
his  Church.  It  has  proved  a  great  blessing  to  our 
Church ;  from  it  are  continually  going  forth  new  and 
mighty  impulses  for  the  cause  of  truth. 

CONSOLIDATION   OF   CATALOGUES. 

An  important  and  laborious  duty  of  the  united 
Board  in  entering  upon  its  work  was  the  revision  and 
consolidation  in  one  Catalogue  of  the  lists  of  the  late 
Board  and  Committee  of  Publication.  In  uniting 
these  lists  it  was  decided,  as  a  general  rule,  to  throw 
out  only  such  works  as  contained  "  invidious  references 
to  past  controversies."  To  prevent  embarrassment  in 
the  revision,  a  number  of  works  discussing  topics  con- 
nected with  the  disruption  had  been  during  the  pre- 
ceding year  withdrawn  from  both  catalogues,  in  every 
case  on  the  expressed  request  or  with  the  hearty  con- 
currence of  surviving  authors.  Other  works  which 
incidentally  alluded  to  past  differences  were  subjected 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  89 

to  a  careful  revision,  and,  when  it  was  deemed  expe- 
dient, alteration. 

Thus  the  chief  difficulties  arising  from  the  existing 
publications  of  the  two  houses  were  removed,  and  all 
that  was  not  objectionable  was  retained  for  the  use  of 
the  united  Church.  The  Descriptive  Catalogue  which 
was  issued  as  soon  as  this  work  of  revision  was  com- 
pleted formed  a  duodecimo  volume  of  four  hundred 
and  fifty  pages,  and  contained  the  titles  of  two  thou- 
sand two  hundred  and  eighty  separate  publications. 
It  presented  to  the  Presbyterian  body  a  noble  list 
embracing  a  mass  of  Presbyterian,  Calvinistic  and 
evangelical  literature  of  the  highest  value. 

BOOK-STORE. 

The  Board  of  Publication,  previous  to  the  Reunion, 
kept  on  sale  only  its  own  publications,  filling  orders, 
however,  for  the  books  of  other  publishers.  The 
Publication  Committee,  on  the  other  hand,  kept  a 
well-selected  assortment  of  theological,  religious  and 
Sabbath-school  books  issued  by  other  houses.  One  of 
the  first  questions  to  engage  the  attention  of  the  reor- 
ganized Board  was  which  of  these  two  policies  it 
should  adopt — whether  other  publications  than  its  own 
should  be  sold  in  its  book-store,  or  whether  its  sales 
should  be  strictly  confined  to  its  own  issues.  The 
result  was  an  almost  unanimous  decision  to  keep,  to 
a  limited  extent  and  under  certain  restrictions,  the 
publications  of  other  houses.  In  accordance  with  this 
decision,  a  large  and  commodious  book-store  was  fitted 
up  for  its  retail  trade.     Here  the  books  found  on  its 


90  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

own  catalogue  were  presented  in  an  attractive  light  to 
customers.  The  variety  and  value  of  the  Board's  pub- 
lications were  thus  made  more  apparent  to  the  public 
eye.  In  addition  to  these,  a  carefully-selected  assort- 
ment of  the  issues  of  other  houses  was  placed  on  its 
shelves.  Bibles  and  Testaments,  prose  and  poetic 
versions  of  the  Psalms,  commentaries  on  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  Sabbath-school  books  and  requisites  suit- 
able for  use  by  our  schools,  and  other  books  of  interest 
to  the  constituency  of  the  Board,  either  devotional, 
practical,  literary  or  theological,  were  kept  in  stock. 
The  aim  has  been  from  the  first  to  make  the  book-store 
a  centre  of  attraction  and  of  trade  for  our  people,  to 
furnish  a  full  supply  of  religious  literature  and  Sab- 
bath-school requisites  to  our  churches  and  schools,  to 
keep  on  hand  whatever  is  within  the  legitimate  sphere 
of  such  a  business,  and  to  provide  for  the  Presbyterian 
Church  and  community  on  the  Board's  own  premises 
whatever  may  be  needed  in  this  direction. 

DEPOSITORIES   AND    BRANCH   HOUSES. 

The  Board  soon  after  the  Reunion,  through  its 
Business  Committee,  examined  into  various  plans  for 
increasing  the  sales  to  booksellers  in  different  parts  of 
the  country,  and  especially  for  having  a  full  assort- 
ment of  the  Board's  publications  in  the  hands  of  one 
bookseller  in  each  of  the  principal  cities  within  the 
bounds  of  our  denomination.  The  Business  Superin- 
tendent visited  many  of  these  business  centres,  con- 
ferred with  prominent  dealers,  as  well  as  with  influen- 
tial men  of  the  Church,  with  a  view  to  bringing  all 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  91 

our  publications  within  easy  reach  both  of  the  trade 
and  of  private  purchasers  in  every  portion  of  the 
Church.  Such  arrangements  were  early  made  in  sev- 
eral of  our  larger  cities.  Subsequently,  from  time  to 
time,  the  Board  increased  the  number  of  these  agencies 
and  branch  houses,  and  extended  the  same  facilities  to 
most  of  the  business  centres  throughout  our  country 
and  Canada.  This  policy  was  approved  by  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly.  There  are  twenty-three  of  these 
branch  houses  or  agencies  now  established. 

The  General  Assembly  of  1882  directed  the  Board 
"  to  establish  a  Depository  at  Chicago  and  one  at  St. 
Louis,  each  to  be  liberally  supplied  with  all  the  publi- 
cations of  the  Board  and  such  religious  literature  as 
may  be  needed  to  meet  the  demands  of  a  first-class 
book-store  for  these  great  centres."  In  1884,  in  view 
of  the  peculiar  necessities  of  the  churches  on  the 
Pacific  slope,  the  Board  was  recommended  to  establish 
a  new  Depository  in  the  city  of  San  Francisco. 

In  1885  the  Assembly  recommended  conferences 
between  the  Board  and  the  Presbytery  of  New  York 
for  the  purpose  of  establishing  a  first-class  Depository 
in  the  city  of  New  York. 

In  1886  the  Assembly  took  action  with  regard  to 
the  establishment  of  branch  houses  or  representatives, 
as  follows : 

We  believe  that  this  is  a  question  which  addresses 
itself  to  the  business  sense  of  the  Board,  and  we  leave  it 
there  with  the  belief  that  such  policy  will  be  adopted  as 
experience  will  show  to  be  for  the  best  interests  of  the 
Church. 


92  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

The  General  Assembly  calls  the  attention  of  the  Board 
to  the  necessity  of  great  care  in  the  establish tn en t  of 
"  branch  houses  "  or  "  representatives,"  not  multiplying 
these  except  when  the  necessity  is  apparent  ana  the  prob- 
abilities of  advancing  religious  ends  are  such  as  to  warrant 
the  extension  of  the  same,  without  militating  against  the 
interest  of  other  important  agencies  organized  under  the 
dire-ction  of  the  General  Assembly ;  and  we  recommend 
that,  so  far  as  consistent  with  a  proper  circulation  of  our 
literature,  the  business  be  so  conducted  that  the  profits 
thereof  shall  accrue  to  the  benefit  of  the  Board,  rather 
than  to  the  benefit  of  private  individuals. 

"the    PRESBYTERIAN    MONTHLY    RECORD." 

In  accordance  with  the  instructions  of  the  General 
Assembly,  The  Home  and  Foreign  Record  and  The 
Presbyterian  Monthly  were  united  under  the  title  of 
The  Presbyterian  Monthly  Record.  This  union  was 
effected  in  the  number  for  August,  1870.  The  con- 
solidated magazine  continued  to  be  published  as  the 
official  organ  of  the  Assembly's  Boards  and  Commit- 
tees until  1887,when  it  was  superseded  by  The  Church 
at  Home  and  Abroad.  The  control  of  its  pages  rested 
entirely  with  the  several  organizations  represented. 
Though  filled  with  important,  and  by  no  means  unin- 
teresting, matter  pertaining  to  the  policy  and  work  of 
the  Boards,  it  had  but  a  limited  circulation,  and  was 
never  self-sustaining.  It  was  sent  gratuitously  to  all 
the  ministers  of  the  Church.  The  loss  incurred  by  its 
publication  was  shared  by  the  Boards  in  the  ratio  ot 
the  space  occupied  by  each. 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  93 

"  PRESBYTERIAN   HYMNAL." 

The  first  reunited  Assembly  in  1870  recommended 
that  the  Board  of  Publication  "  consider  what  may  be 
the  best  means  of  effecting  some  understanding  as  to 
the  issue  of  Books  of  Psalmody,  and  report  on  the 
subject  to  the  next  Assembly." 

The  report  of  the  Board  to  the  next  Assembly  rec- 
ommended the  appointment  of  a  committee  of  seven, 
who  should  proceed  to  the  preparation  of  a  Book  of 
Praise.  The  Committee  were  duly  appointed.  They 
were  instructed  to  invite  suggestions  from  all  parts  of 
the  Church  as  to  the  general  character  and  structure 
of  the  book,  committing  the  same  to  some  person 
whom  they  should  select,  and  who  would  prepare  the 
book  in  the  light  of  these  general  views,  subject  to  the 
final  approval  of  the  Committee  before  being  reported 
to  the  Assembly. 

The  Committee  proceeded  to  carry  out  these  instruc- 
tions as  expeditiously  as  the  nature  of  the  work  would 
allow.  They  reported  to  the  Assembly  of  1873,  sub- 
mitting a  plan  of  the  book  and  general  table  of  con- 
tents, together  with  a  list  of  the  first  lines  of  the 
psalms  and  hymns,  and,  in  view  of  the  exigences  of 
the  case,  asked  for  authority  to  proceed  with  the  com- 
pilation, and  through  the  Board  of  Publication  to 
have  the  Book  of  Praise  stereotyped,  published  and 
furnished  to  the  churches  without  further  submission 
to  the  Assembly.  The  Committee  were  thus  instructed, 
and  under  these  instructions  the  Hymnal  was  compiled 
by  the  Rev.  Joseph  T.  Duryea,  D.  D.,  under  the  super- 
vision and  with  the  approval  of  the  Committee,  and 


94  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

was  published.  The  Committee  presented  to  the  As- 
sembly of  1875  their  final  report,  which  was  accepted, 
their  work  approved,  and  the  Committee  discharged 
with  thanks  for  the  efficient  manner  in  which  they  had 
performed  their  duty. 

The  book  was  received  with  very  great  favor,  and 
was  introduced  into  many  of  our  churches.  Numerous 
editions  have  been  issued  in  a  variety  of  forms,  amount- 
ing altogether  to  four  hundred  and  twelve  thousand  five 

hundred  copies. 

NEW  "digest." 

The  want  of  a  Digest  of  the  acts  of  the  supreme 
judicatory  of  the  Church  was  early  felt.  In  1818  the 
Assembly  appointed  a  Committee  to  prepare  such  a 
work.  The  Committee  reported  to  the  next  Assembly, 
and  were  authorized  to  complete  the  work  on  the  plan 
reported,  and  to  publish  it  at  the  expense  of  the  Trus- 
tees of  the  Assembly.  The  Digest  thus  authorized 
was  published  in  1820.  In  1850  the  Board  of  Publi- 
cation issued  a  Digest  prepared  by  the  Rev.  Richard 
Webster.  In  1856  the  Board  issued  the  Digest  pre- 
pared by  the  Rev.  Samuel  J.  Baird.  A  new  and 
revised  edition  was  issued  in  1859. 

In  1854  the  Assembly  (N.  S.)  took  order,  appointing 
a  Committee  to  prepare  and  publish  a  new  Digest,  "  if 
it  can  be  done  without  expense  to  the  Assembly."  The 
Digest  thus  directed  was  prepared  by  Rev.  William  E. 
Moore,  and,  after  delay,  for  want  of  funds,  issued  by 
the  Presbyterian  Publication  Committee  in  1861.  It 
was  accepted  with  commendation  by  the  Assembly. 

The  necessity  of  a  more  complete  work  which  should 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  95 

combine  the  precedents  of  the  Church  in  all  its 
branches  and  bring  them  down  to  the  latest  date  was 
felt  at  once  upon  the  Reunion.  The  Board  of  Publi- 
cation accordingly  took  action  looking  to  this  end. 
The  plan  of  a  new  Digest  was  submitted  to  the  Assem- 
bly of  1871,  and  approved  by  it.  The  Rev.  William 
E.  Moore  was  appointed  to  prepare  the  work,  and  a 
special  Committee  was  appointed  to  examine  and 
approve  it  before  its  publication.  The  Committee  re- 
ported to  the  Assembly  of  1873  the  completion  of 
the  work  by  the  compiler  and  its  approval  by  the 
Committee,  and  it  was  issued  early  in  1874. 

The  adoption  of  the  Revised  Book,  of  Discipline  in 
1884,  with  its  amendments  in  1885,  and  the  lapse 
of  twelve  years  since  the  publication  of  the  Digest, 
made  necessary  a  new  edition,  which  was  issued  in 
1886.  This  edition  contains  a  complete  presentation 
of  the  acts  and  deliverances  of  the  Assembly  on  all 
questions  down  to  the  time  of  its  publication. 

CHANGE   OF   TREASURER. 

In  June,  1873,  the  venerable  Winthrop  Sargent, 
who  had  served  the  Board  faithfully  and  eiRciently 
for  nearly  twenty-two  years  as  Superintendent  of  Col- 
portage,  and  for  ten  years  as  Treasurer  also,  having 
reached  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-two  years,  felt 
constrained  to  relinquish  those  offices,  and  retired  with 
the  esteem  and  affection  of  all  who  knew  him.  Mr. 
Sargent  lived  only  a  little  more  than  a  year  after  his 
retirement.  The  Board  at  its  meeting  September  22, 
1874,  made  record  of  his  death  as  follows : 


96  BOARD   OF    PUBLICATION. 

This  Board  has  heard  with  great  sorrow  and  regret  of 
the  death  of  Winthrop  Sargent,  Esq.,  our  late  Treasurer, 
His  long  association  with  the  Board,  unswerving  integrity, 
Christian  character  and  faithful  service  for  so  long  a 
period  make  his  memory  fragrant,  and  we  desire  to  record 
our  deep  sense  of  the  loss  this  Board  has  sustained  by  his 
decease. 

Mr.  Sargent  was  succeeded  in  the  office  of  Treasurer 
and  Superintendent  of  Colportage  by  Mr.  Samuel  D. 
Powel.  Mr.  Powel  had  filled  the  office  of  Treasurer 
of  the  Board  of  Home  Missions,  and  before  that  for 
many  years  of  the  Board  of  Domestic  Missions.  He 
therefore  brought  to  his  new  position  an  extended  and 
valuable  experience  and  a  wide  acquaintance  with  the 
men  and  affairs  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  Faith- 
ful in  every  trust  confided  to  him,  he  remained  in  the 
service  of  the  Board  until  his  death,  August  24,  1887. 

MISSIONARY    DEPARTMENT. 

The  Fund  for  the  support  of  this  part  of  the  Board's 
work  is  derived  mainly  from  the  contributions  of  our 
churches  and  Sabbath-schools  and  the  gifts  and  legacies 
of  the  benevolent  among  our  people.  Appropriations 
have  also  been  made  to  it  from  time  to  time  by  the 
Business  Department  as  the  net  profits  of  its  sales 
allowed.  Money  given  to  this  Fund  is  sacredly  de- 
voted to  the  benevolent  work  of  the  Board,  and  is 
used  in  paying  the  expenses  of  the  Sabbath-school 
Department,  the  salaries  and  expenses  of  colporteurs 
and  the  cost  of  the  books  and  tracts  gratuitously  dis- 
tributed by  them  or  granted  by  the  Board's  Missionary 
Committee. 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  97 

In  1877  the  residuary  legatees  of  the  late  John  C. 
Green  of  New  York  gave  to  the  Trustees  of  the  Board 
of  Publication  the  sum  of  fifty  thousand  dollars,  the 
principal  to  be  kept  intact  and  safely  invested  in 
productive  securities,  such  as  are  authorized  by  the 
laws  of  Pennsylvania  as  proper  and  legal  for  the  in- 
vestment of  trust  funds,  and  the  income  therefrom  to 
be  applied  to  the  distinctively  benevolent  and  mission- 
ary work  of  the  Board — provided,  nevertheless,  that 
the  Board  may  appropriate  and  apply  not  exceeding 
one-third  of  the  net  income  in  any  one  year  for  the 
purpose  of  enabling  it  to  publish  and  issue  such  works 
as  it  may  determine  upon  and  select,  at  lower  prices  or 
in  a  better  and  more  attractive  form  than  they  could 
otherwise  be  issued;  it  being  the  intention  that  the 
sums  so  appropriated  and  applied  shall  actually  reduce 
the  selling  prices  of  the  works  upon  which  they  are 
expended  from  what  they  would  otherwise  be  fixed  at 
upon  the  ordinary  basis  for  fixing  prices  in  use  from 
time  to  time  by  the  Board.  The  conditions  of  the 
trust  have,  in  every  respect,  been  faithfully  carried  out, 
both  in  the  investment  of  the  principal  and  in  the 
application  of  its  income. 

The  Trustees  of  the  Board  also  hold  other  trust 
funds  to  the  amount  of  twelve  thousand  five  hundred 
dollars,  whose  income  is  applied  to  the  support  of 
its  benevolent  and  missionary  work.  In  addition  to 
these,  various  trust  funds  to  the  amount  of  about 
$30,000  are  held  by  the  Trustees  of  the  General  As- 
sembly, whose  income,  in  whole  or  in  part,  is  appro- 
priated in  the  same  manner. 
7 


98  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

COLPORTAGE   WORK. 

At  the  Reunion  great  importance  was 'attached  by 
the  entire  Church  to  the  colportage  work  of  the  Board. 
The  General  Assembly  of  1870  unanimously  adopted 
the  following  recommendation  of  its  Standing  Com- 
mittee on  Publication : 

Your  Committee  are  deeply  impressed  with  the  colport- 
age work  conducted  by  the  Board,  and  would  strongly 
urge  its  extension  as  being  the  means  best  fitted  to  make 
known  the  truths  of  salvation  to  nmltitudes  in  our  country, 
as  to  Koman  Catholics  and  persons  separated  from  the 
ordinary  means  of  grace. 

The  Assembly  also  adopted  the  following  minute  ; 

Each  Presbytery  is  directed  to  appoint  one  or  more  of 
its  members  a  Presbyterial  Publication  Committee  ;  which 
Committee  shall  in  that  Presbytery  supervise  the  work  of 
securing  an  annual  collection  for  this  Board  from  each  of 
its  churches ;  shall  search  out  and  recommend  to  the 
Board  suitable  persons  to  act  as  colporteurs;  shall  cor- 
respond with  the  Board  in  reference  to  its  work  in  that 
Presbytery ;  and  shall  do  whatever  else  may  tend  to  pro- 
mote the  work  and  interests  of  the  Board,  and  to  secure  a 
thorough  distribution  of  the  Board's  publications  within 
and  throughout  the  bounds  of  the  Presbytery. 

Most  of  the  Presbyteries  obeyed  this  direction  and 
appointed  each  a  Presbyterial  Publication  Committee. 
To  every  Committee  so  appointed  the  Corresponding 
Secretary  sent  a  communication  explaining  the  col- 
portage work  and  plans  of  the  Board.  In  a  consider- 
able number  of  Presbyteries  presbyterial  colporteurs 
were  employed  according  to  these  arrangements,  which 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  99 

in  their  newly  modified  form  were  received  with  uni- 
versal favor.  The  aim  of  the  Board  was  to  have  at 
least  one  well-qualified  and  active  colporteur  at  work 
in  each  Presbytery,  such  coljDorteur  to  be  selected  and 
recommended  to  the  Board  by  the  Presbytery  itself, 
or  by  its  Publication  Committee. 

The  General  Assembly  of  1871  gave  emphatic  ap- 
proval of  these  plans  by  adopting  the  following  recom- 
mendations of  its  Standing  Committee  on  Publication: 

Your  Committee  are  convinced,  from  all  the  light  which 
they  have  been  able  to  obtain,  that  the  colporteur  system 
of  distribution  is  essential  to  the  efficiency  of  this  Board, 
and  that,  instead  of  being  diminished,  it  ought  to  be 
largely  increased.  It  is  unfair  to  judge  of  the  business 
operations  of  a  Board  whose  sales  are  confined  to  religious 
publications  by  the  common  laws  of  the  book-trade. 
Other  publishing-houses  publish  or  keep  on  their  shelves 
miscellaneous  books  of  all  kinds.  They  find  buyers  from 
all  classes  of  people,  whilst  the  religious  house  sells  chiefly 
to  religious  people.  The  range  of  its  operations  is  neces- 
sarily restricted ;  and  if  it  be,  as  in  the  case  of  our  Board, 
a  denominational  enterprise,  its  operations  must  be  con- 
fined chiefly  to  its  own  denomination.  This  limits  the 
range  of  its  operation  and  the  number  of  its  customers, 
and  it  would  be  unreasonable,  therefore,  to  expect  it  to 
compete  upon  mere  commercial  principles  with  houses 
who  publish  books  on  all  sorts  of  subjects,  both  religious 
and  secular.  Nor  is  it  reasonable  to  expect  it  to  compete 
with  those  undenominational  publishing  societies  which 
claim  and  receive  the  patronage  of  all  §vangelical  Chris- 
tians. 

The  press  is  a  power  in  the  earth.  The  Church  cannot 
dispense  with  its  mighty  agency;  and  if  the  doctrine  and 


100  BOARD  OF   PUBLICATION. 

order  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  are,  as  we  believe  them 
to  be,  the  most  primitive,  apostolical  and  scriptural,  they 
ought  to  be  maintained  and  disseminated ;  and  if  they  are 
to  be  promoted,  the  press  is  an  indispensable  agent  in  the 
work,  and  our  Church  cannot  afford  to  dispense  with  it, 
nor  to  abate  the  measure  of  its  efficiency.  It  is,  in  the 
judgment  of  your  Committee,  preposterously  unwise  to 
reduce  our  own  Board  to  the  condition  of  a  mere  commer- 
cial house  with  a  limited  capital,  whilst  the  publishing 
societies  which  are  restrained  from  publishing  the  dis- 
tinctive doctrines  of  our  system,  and  who  get  the  patronage 
of  all  evangelical  denominations,  are  sustained  by  large 
benefactions  of  the  churches.  It  is  to  be  remembered, 
also,  that,  whilst  secular  publishing-houses  can  go  into 
trade-sales  and  dispose  of  much  of  their  stock  by  ex- 
changes for  the  publications  of  other  houses,  our  Board 
cannot  thus  exchange,  for  it  is  not  her  mission  to  dissemi- 
nate secular  literature. 

Your  Committee  is  profoundly  convinced  that  an  effort 
ought  to  be  made  to  enlarge  the  resources  of  this  Board, 
and  the  colporteur  and  Sabbath-school  work  and  its  gratu- 
itous distributions  ought  to  be  rapidly  increased.  Your 
Committee,  therefore,  submits  the  following  additional 
resolutions  for  the  consideration  of  the  Assembly — viz. : 

Resolved,  1.  That  the  Board  of  Publication  be  recom- 
mended to  prosecute  with  increased  energy  the  work  of 
distribution  by  an  efficient  and  economical  system  of  col- 
portage  under  the  direction  of  the  several  Presbyteries. 

2.  That  the  Board  be  authorized  to  supply  libraries  for 
each  of  our  missions  in  the  foreign  field  as  fast  as  funds 
are  available  for  that  purpose. 

3.  That  the  Board  be  exhorted  to  employ  in  the  work 
entrusted  to  their  hands  all  the  honorable  and  proper 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  101 

business  tact  and  energy  which  are  used  by  other  publish- 
ing-houses. 

4.  That  the  people  of  our  churches  be  urged  to  increased 
liberality  toward  the  Missionary  Department  of  this 
Board,  and  to  take  up  an  annual  collection  for  it,  as 
directed  by  the  past  Assembly,  so  that  the  means  of  inau- 
gurating the  Sunday-school  work  and  increasing  col- 
portage  and  donations  to  destitute  pastors  and  feeble 
churches  may  be  supplied. 

Similar  and  equally  emphatic  approval  of  this 
branch  of  the  Board's  work  was  given  by  each  succes- 
sive Assembly  during  the  first  decade  ot  the  reunited 
Church.  The  Board  endeavored,  so  far  as  the  neces- 
sary means  was  given  it,  to  carry  out  these  oft-repeated 
instructions  in  the  expansion  of  its  colportage  and 
missionary  work. 

It  was  made  the  duty  of  the  Corresponding  Secre- 
tary to  conduct  all  correspondence  having  reference  to 
the  appointment  of  colporteurs,  and  nominate  to  the 
Missionary  Committee  those  who  furnished  satisfactory 
testimonials  as  to  their  qualifications  for  the  work. 
The  Missionary  Committee  received  and  acted  upon 
all  applications  to  appoint  colporteurs  made  through 
the  Corresponding  Secretary,  and  when  appointed 
determined  their  field  of  labor  and  fixed  their  com- 
pensation. The  Superintendent  of  Colportage  con- 
ducted the  correspondence  with  colporteurs,  after  their 
appointment,  received  and  engrossed  their  reports  in  a 
book  prepared  for  the  purpose,  kept  accounts  of  their 
pecuniary  relations  to  the  Board,  executed  all  orders 
from  colporteurs  and  collected  all  sums  due  from  them, 


102  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATIOX. 

and  reported  the  state  of  the  work  to  the  Missionary- 
Committee  at  each  meeting.  District  Superintendents 
were  also  appointed  to  take  supervision  of  the  work  in 
their  several  fields,  and  to  push  it  forward  with  vigor 
and  economy.  One  of  these  District  Superintendents 
was  located  at  Chicago,  another  at  St.  Louis,  another 
at  Cleveland,  Ohio,  another  at  Cincinnati,  and  another 
at  Syracuse,  New  York.  Still  later  in  the  Board's 
history  a  District  Superintendent,  by  express  direction 
of  the  General  Assembly,  was  placed  in  charge  of  the 
colportage  and  missionary  work  on  the  Pacific  coast. 

The  General  Assembly  of  1881  appointed  a  Special 
Committee  of  seven — four  ministers  and  three  elders — 
"to  consider  and  report  to  the  next  Assembly  what 
changes  and  measures,  if  any,  are  needed  in  order  to 
increase  the  work  and  the  efficiency  of  the  Missionary 
Department  of  the  Board  of  Publication."  The  As- 
sembly of  1882,  on  the  recommendation  of  this  Special 
Committee,  adopted  the  following  action : 

Resolved,  1.  That  the  General  Assembly  instruct  the 
Board  of  Publication  to  maintain  a  separation  as  complete 
as  practicable  between  the  Publishing  and  the  Colportage 
Departments  in  their  business  aifairs,  so  that  the  relation 
between  the  two  in  this  respect  shall  be  the  same  as  be- 
tween the  Publishing  Department  and  any  other  purchaser, 
the  terms  of  sale  to  the  Colportage  Department  to  be  as 
favorable  as  those  offered  to  any  other  purchaser. 

2.  The  Publishing  Department  is  to  employ  all  legiti- 
mate agencies  which  shall  promote  the  sale  of  its  publica- 
tions, and  not  be  required  to  assume,  in  whole  or  in  part, 
the  support  of  any  office  or  agency  which  it  does  not  feel 
justified  in  assuming  because  of  its  commercial  value.    It 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  103 

is  to  keep  in  view  the  important  object  of  furnishing  its 
publications  at  the  lowest  possible  cost,  and  all  advantages 
which  it  may  possess  by  virtue  of  the  capital  placed  at  its 
disposal  are  to  bear  fruit  chiefly  in  the  lower  price,  and 
consequent  wider  diffusion,  of  its  publications. 

3.  The  Board  shall  present  to  the  General  Assembly  a 
yearly  statement  of  the  expenses  of  the  Publishing  De- 
partment, and  also  a  statement  of  its  profits,  in  such  a 
manner  that  it  shall  be  made  to  appear  (1)  whether  any 
reduction  in  the  price  of  its  publications  is  practicable, 
and  (2)  what  sum  this  department  may  yield  year  by  year 
for  Sabbath-school  work  and  colportage  or  other  missionary 
purposes. 

4.  That  the  work  of  colportage,  including  the  selection 
and  appointment  of  colporteurs,  shall  be  under  the  exclu- 
sive supervision  of  the  Corresponding  Secretary  and  the 
appropriate  Committee  of  the  Board,  who  shall  be  allowed 
adequate  clerical  aid.  No  colporteur,  however,  shall  be 
sent  to  labor  within  the  bounds  of  any  Presbytery  unless 
first  recommended  by  the  Presbytery  or  its  appropriate 
Committee. 

5.  In  pursuance  of  this  policy  of  giving  greater  unity 
of  management  to  the  work  of  colportage,  the  office  of 
Superintendent  of  Missionary  Work  shall  be  abolished 
and  its  duties  transferred  to  the  Corresponding  Secretary. 
District  Superintendents  also  are  not  to  be  maintained  by 
the  Board,  except  where  it  judges  that  they  are  called  for 
on  business  grounds,  in  which  cases  they  are  to  be  sus- 
tained by  the  Publishing  Department 

6.  The  funds  necessary  for  the  maintenance  of  colport- 
age are  to  be  sought,  as  now,  directly  from  the  churches, 
as  a  benevolent  gift.  From  these  funds  the  Board  shall 
provide  for  the  entire  salary  of  the  Secretary  of  Sabbath- 
School  Work,  and  so  much  of  the  salary  of  the  Corre- 


104  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

spending  Secretary  as  is  not  provided  for  by  an  express 
arrangement  of  the  Publication  Department,  with  their 
expenses;  also  for  the  salaries  of  the  colporteurs,  the 
grants  of  books,  etc.,  which  it  shall  allow,  and  the  other 
expenses  of  the  Missionary  Department. 

7.  That  in  the  instructions  of  the  Missionary  Depart- 
ment to  the  colporteurs  the  main  emphasis  is  to  be  laid 
upon  the  work  of  religious  visitation  and  the  Sabbath- 
school  work  expected  from  among  the  spiritually  destitute, 
and  that  the  selling  of  books,  while  still  continued  so  far 
as  it  can  be  usefully  done,  is  to  be  in  all  cases  subordinated 
to  these  more  directly  benevolent  and  religious  labors. 

8.  That  the  Board  be  directed  to  invite  correspondence 
through  its  Missionary  Department  with  our  pastors,  and 
especially  with  our  missionaries,  to  secure  voluntary  help 
in  the  wider  diffusion  of  our  literature,  and  that  in  pursu- 
ance of  this  policy  it  be  directed  to  make  grants  of  books 
and  other  publications  with  all  possible  liberality  when- 
ever satisfied  that  those  making  application  for  such  grants 
will  employ  them  wisely  for  the  benefit  of  the  religiously 
destitute,  and  will  report  to  the  Board  the  manner  in 
which  they  are  used. 

The  important  changes  here  directed  were  all 
promptly  made.  In  fact,  most  of  them  had  been  de- 
termined upon  by  the  Board  before  the  action  of 
the  Assembly,  especially  those  directed  in  the  fourth, 
fifth,  seventh  and  eighth  resolutions,  excepting  the 
part  of  the  fifth  resolution  relating  to  the  office  of 
District  Superintendent.  The  question  as  to  whether 
or  not  it  was  expedient  to  continue  that  office  had 
been  considered,  but  it  was  decided  that  the  Board 
"  should  not  definitely  act  to  determine  a  line  of  gen- 


BOARD  OF  PUBLICATION.  105 

eral  policy,  but  await  action  on  the  part  of  the  General 
Assembly."  As  soon  as  the  Assembly  had  acted  upon 
the  question,  the  Board  abolished  the  office  of  District 
Superintendent,  and  the  men  who  had  held  the  office 
retired  from  the  work  of  the  Board  with  its  thanks 
for  the  faithful  and  efficient  services  they  had  rendered 
during  the  years  they  had  held  to  it  that  relation. 
The  entire  work  of  colportage,  including  the  selection 
and  appointment  of  colporteurs,  was  thus  placed  under 
the  exclusive  supervision  of  the  Corresponding  Secre- 
tary and  the  Missionary  Committee  of  the  Board. 

During  the  seventeen  years  from  the  Reunion  in 
1870  to  the  reorganization  of  the  Board  in  1887  the 
average  number  of  colporteurs  in  the  field  was  94, 
varying  from  year  to  year,  the  highest  number  em- 
ployed being  158,  in  1873,  and  the  lowest  49,  in  1883. 
The  number  of  Synods  and  Presbyteries  in  which  they 
labored  also  varied  from  year  to  year,  the  average 
number  being,  of  Synods,  32,  and  of  Presbyteries  85. 
The  majority  of  them  were  employed  in  the  West  and 
North-west.  Quietly  and  almost  unnoticed  by  the  busy 
world  they  passed  from  house  to  house  and  from  vil- 
lage to  village,  most  of  them  among  the  mountain- 
ranges,  on  the  wide  prairies  or  through  the  forests  of 
our  Western  States,  scattering  everywhere  the  good 
seed  of  divine  truth — a  handful  here,  a  handful  there. 
In  this  laborious  and  self-denying  work  they  distrib- 
uted by  sale  973,396  volumes,  and  by  gift  868,563 
volumes — a  total  of  1,841,959  volumes.  They  also 
gave  away  81,376,698  pages  of  tracts  and  periodicals. 
Besides  the  distribution  of  so  large  an  amount  of  our 


106  BOARD  OF  PUBLICATION. 

religious  and  denominational  literature,  the  records 
and  reports  of  the  Board  abound  with  evidences  of 
great  spiritual  good  effected  through  their  instrumen- 
tality in  the  conversion  of  souls  and  the  edification  and 
comfort  of  God's  people.  How  much  they  accomplished 
in  the  organization  of  mission  Sabbath-schools  and  by 
visitation  and  encouragement  of  schools  already  estab- 
lished in  their  respective  fields  of  labor  will  be  shown 
in  future  pages. 

GRANTS  BY  THE  MISSIONARY  COMMITTEE. 
In  addition  to  the  books,  tracts  and  periodicals  dis- 
tributed far  and  wide  by  the  colporteurs  on  their  re- 
spective fields,  large  numbers  were  from  year  to  year 
granted  by  votes  of  the  Missionary  Committee.  Nu- 
merous and  earnest  applications  for  such  grants  flowed 
in  from  all  parts  of  our  country  and  Canada,  and 
also  from  various  mission  stations  in  Mexico,  South 
Africa  and  Asia.  To  these  applications  the  Committee 
responded  as  freely  as  the  resources  at  its  command 
allowed.  Tracts  and  other  publications  in  French, 
Spanish,  Italian  and  German  were  furnished  for  the 
use  of  missionaries  laboring  among  those  speaking 
these  languages.  The  wants  of  the  freed  men  and  of 
the  Indians  were  also  remembered.  Many  a  mission 
Sabbath-school  and  many  a  weak  mission  church  thus 
received  material  aid  and  encouragement  in  their 
work  among  the  poor  and  the  destitute.  The  reports 
and  records  of  the  Board  show  that  the  net  value  of 
these  grants  amounted  to  nearly  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars. 


BOARD  OF  PUBLICATION.  107 

It  was  painfully  felt,  however,  tliat  the  work  actually 
accomplished  annually  bore  no  proportion  to  the  de- 
mands of  the  country  and  the  duty  of  the  Church. 
The  number  of  colporteurs  had  fallen  from  year  to 
year  from  one  hundred  and  fifty-eight  in  1873  to  forty- 
nine  in  1883.  "The  means  for  carrying  on  the  work 
were  meagre  and  wholly  disproportioned  to  its  magni- 
tude and  vital  importance.  At  the  same  time,  there 
were  urgent  and  increasing  demands  for  missionary 
work  and  gratuitous  grants  of  the  Board's  publica- 
tions. A  legacy  of  ten  thousand  dollars  left  to  the 
Missionary  Fund  by  the  late  Hon.  William  E.  Dodge, 
and  other  legacies  to  the  amount  of  four  thousand 
dollars,  came  into  the  treasury  in  1884,  when  the  Fund 
was  entirely  exhausted.  This  providential  relief  led 
to  an  expansion  of  the  colportage  work  and  a  corre- 
sponding increase  of  the  missionary  grants  in  response 
to  urgent  appeals,  and  in  the  confident  expectation 
that  the  incoming  contributions  would  be  sufiicient  to 
meet  the  increased  demands  upon  the  Fund.  The 
report  made  to  the  Assembly  of  1885  rejoiced  in  its 
mention  of  "  a  year  of  extraordinary  and  unequaled 
usefulness,"  of  calls  from  the  Presbyteries  for  the  ap- 
pointment of  colporteurs  gladly  met  by  the  Board, 
and  of  enlarged  grants  to  Sabbath-schools,  home  mis- 
sionaries, foreign  missionaries  and  pastors. 

The  report  was  received  by  the  Assembly  with  warm 
congratulation,  and  with  the  most  unmistakable  ex- 
hortations that  the  Board  go  forward  in  this  good 
work,  and  that  the  churches  heartily  sustain  it  in  its 
aggressive  movements.     It  was  resolved — 


108  BOARD   OF  PUBLICATION. 

That  the  Assembly  has  learned  with  great  pleasure  of 
the  enlargement  made  during  the  past  year  in  the  work  of 
the  Missionary  Department  of  this  Board  through  the 
increased  number  of  colporteurs  it  has  maintained  upon 
the  field,  and  especially  in  the  more  remote  and  destitute 
States  and  Territories  between  the  Mississippi  and  the 
Pacific  Ocean;  also  through  the  enlarged  number  and 
value  of  the  grants  it  has  made  to  the  needy  Sabbath- 
schools,  home  missionaries,  teachers  and  others  in  every 
part  of  the  Church,  as  well  as  in  foreign  lands. 

That  the  Board  is  hereby  encouraged  and  exhorted  to 
continue  the  prosecution  of  its  colportage  work,  and  of 
making  grants  to  the  needy  to  the  utmost  extent  it  can 
feel  to  be  wise  and  proper  in  view  of  the  resources  at  its 
disposal.  And,  in  order  that  these  resources  may  be  en- 
larged during  the  coming  year,  all  our  churches  and 
Sabbath-schools  are  hereby  recommended  and  urged  to 
make  at  least  one  annual  contribution  to  the  Missionary 
Fund  of  the  Board. 

It  also  recommended  that  the  sum  of  at  least  seventy- 
five  thousand  dollars  should  be  contributed  by  the 
churches  during  the  year  for  the  prosecution  of  this 
important  w^ork. 

Thus  encouraged,  the  Board  entered  hopefully  on 
the  new  year,  prosecuting  with  vigor  this  much-needed 
enterprise  for  reaching  the  people  with  the  truth.  But 
as  the  year  advanced,  and  the  income  of  the  Missionary 
Fund  failed  to  equal  its  expenditures,  caution  became 
necessary ;  then  new  appointments  of  colporteurs  were 
refused,  and  grants  were  limited  to  the  more  urgent 
cases,  and  finally  the  last  measure  was  reluctantly  and 
sadly  reached  of  dismissing  men  already  in  the  service. 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  109 

The  necessity  was  a  most  painful  one,  but  it  was  one 
not  to  be  avoided  in  the  circumstances.  The  Board 
was  compelled  to  continue  this  contraction  of  its 
missionary  work,  and  finally  to  report  to  the  Assembly 
of  1887  that  the  number  of  colporteurs  had  been  re- 
duced to  seventeen,  and  that  the  balance  against  the 
Missionary  Fund  was  $24,935.49. 

SABBATH-SCHOOL    DEPARTMENT. 

One  of  the  earliest  acts  of  the  reorganized  Board 
was  to  take  up  the  recommendation  of  the  Assembly 
of  1870  with  regard  to  the  establishment  of  a  depart- 
ment of  Sabbath -schools.  The  whole  subject  was 
referred  to  its  Missionary  Committee  for  careful  con- 
sideration. The  result  was  the  following  Report  from 
that  Committee,  drawn  up  by  the  Rev.  Thomas  Murphy, 
D.  D.,  its  Chairman,  which  was  adopted  with  entire 
unanimity  by  the  Board,  and  unanimously  adopted  by 
the  Assembly  of  1871 : 

REPORT. 

The  General  Assembly  having  recommended  at  its  last 
meeting  "  that  the  Board  of  Publication,  at  as  early  a 
date  as  possible,  consider  the  propriety  of  establishing  a 
Department  of  Sabbath-schools,  whose  office  it  shall  be  to 
promote  the  number  and  efficiency  of  Sabbath-schools 
throughout  the  congregations  of  the  Presbyterian  Church," 
the  Board  would  report  that  they  have  given  the  whole 
matter  careful  and  earnest  attention. 

Within  a  few  years  the  institution  of  the  Sabbath-school 
has  assumed  such  a  form  and  grown  to  such  a  magnitude 
that  probably  but  very  few  even  of  the  most  thoughtful 
Christians  duly  appreciate  its  unspeakable  importance. 


110  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

Being  in  the  very  midst  of  its  developments,  we  do  not  so 
see  its  vast  proportions  that  they  leave  upon  our  minds  an 
adequate  impression.  If  they  were  fairly  grasped  by  our 
Church  at  this  deeply  momentous  epoch  of  her  history, 
there  is  probably  no  other  subject  that  would  call  forth 
from  her  more  earnest  and  thoughtful  consideration. 
When  it  is  considered  that  the  religious  training  of  the 
young  lies  at  the  very  foundation  of  every  other  institu- 
tion of  the  Church,  and  of  all  that  is  hopeful  in  her  future 
prospects,  how  can  we  overestimate  the  importance  of  this 
subject?  The  fact  to  which  we  dare  not  close  our  eyes — 
that  so  much  of  that  training  at  the  present  time  is  passing 
over  to  the  Sabbath-school  and  the  Church — imposes  such 
a  tremendous  weight  of  responsibility  that  no  amount  of 
thought  or  work  or  money  is  too  great  to  be  bestowed  on 
this  subject.  Then  its  proportions  rise  up  into  additional 
grandeur  when  we  reflect  that  the  Sabbath-school  is  the 
best-known  agency  for  reaching  the  millions  upon  millions 
of  children  who  have  no  religious  training  from  parents 
or  any  others  and  saving  them  from  godless  lives  with  all 
their  disastrous  consequences.  Then,  too,  the  Sabbath- 
school  is  pre-eminent,  as  furnishing  a  plain  and  profitable 
field  of  Christian  toil  for  every  warm  heart  and  willing 
band. 

Will  it  do  for  our  Church  in  her  organized  form  to 
neglect  this  agency  which  is  springing  up  to  such  immense 
proportions  within  her  and  around  her  ?  Should  she  be 
satisfied  until  it  is  brought  under  her  own  control  and  all 
its  influences  secured  in  her  vast  enterprise  of  building  up 
Christ's  kingdom?  Can  our  Church  afford  to  do  nothing 
in  this  matter,  while  others  are  moving  forward  in  it,  and 
that  most  successfully  ?  Is  it  not  now  a  time  for  us  to 
begin,  when  by  our  blessed  Reunion  a  broader  field  is 
opening  before  us,  and  a  new  strength  is  given  us  that  if 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  Ill 

rightly  guided  and  sanctified  could  achieve  almost  any- 
thing? Is  there  not  now  a  most  exciting  call  for  our 
Presbyterian  Church  to  take  her  noble  traditional  stand  in 
the  forefront  with  respect  to  the  religious  training  of  the 
young  ? 

The  work  which  the  Church  evidently  should  undertake 
in  this  matter  through  its  responsible  organs  presents 
itself  in  three  branches. 

The  first  branch  should  include  everything  pertaining  to 
the  books  and  all  other  literature  that  might  be  needed  to 
give  success  to  the  work  of  Sabbath-schools.  A  great  evil 
that  is  creeping  into  our  schools,  and  a  great  danger  that 
is  threatening  them,  arises  from  the  vast  number  of  books 
unsuitable  for  Sabbath  reading  and  objectionable  in  their 
character  which  are  filling  their  libraries.  This  evil  needs 
to  be  efiiciently  guarded  against.  Even  if  the  Board  of 
Publication  were  able  with  its  own  books  fully  to  supply 
the  wants  of  all  of  our  schools,  the  schools  would  not  be 
restricted  in  their  selections  to  these  publications.  Many 
most  excellent  books  are  published  by  other  societies  and 
by  private  publishing-houses.  From  these  our  schools 
will  still  continue  to  select,  as  well  as  from  our  own  publi- 
cations. There  ought,  therefore,  to  be  an  agency  for  care- 
fully reading  Sabbath -school  books  collected  from  every 
source,  and  keeping  a  list  (or  the  books  themselves)  of 
all  that  could  be  safely  recommended  to  the  schools. 
Under  this  branch  of, the  subject  should  also  come  the 
providing  of  suitable  helps  for  the  whole  Sabbath-school 
work.  There  should  be  Bible  dictionaries  from  which 
everything  that  is  distinctive  in  our  grand  system  of  doc- 
trine and  order  would  not  be  excluded.  There  should  be 
suitable  commentaries  that  could  be  recommended.  There 
should  be  maps  and  guide-books  and  diagrams  and  roll- 
books,  and  everything  else  requisite  in  the  Sabbath-school 


112  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

work.  Under  this  branch,  also,  should  fall  the  preparation 
of  periodicals,  not  only  for  children,  but  also  for  teachers. 
It  should  include,  also,  the  furnishing  of  books  of  hymns 
and  music  which  would  be  suitable  to  the  worship  of 
God  and  the  sanctity  of  the  Sabbath.  And  here,  too, 
should  be  placed  the  responsibility  of  providing  lessons 
and  questions  that  could  be  used  throughout  the  schools 
of  the  Church. 

A  second  branch  of  this  general  subject  should  con- 
template improvement  in  the  standard  of  teaching,  the 
purifying  our  schools  of  everything  unworthy  of  the 
dignity  of  the  cause  and  the  thorough  development  of 
the  great  Sabbath-school  idea.  "  What  can  be  done  to 
increase  the  piety,  the  zeal,  the  scriptural  intelligence  and 
the  aptness  to  impart  knowledge  on  the  part  of  our  teach- 
ers ?"  is  the  great  question  on  which  the  true  efficiency  of 
our  Sabbath-schools  depends.  The  aim  here  should  be  to 
enlist  the  piety  and  talent  of  the  Church  in  this  cause,  to 
develop  practically  the  idea  that  the  Sabbath-school  is  an 
integral  part  of  the  Church,  to  secure  every  real  improve- 
ment in  this  work,  to  guard  against  mere  novelties  which 
may  be  injurious  or  inconsistent  with  the  sacredness  of 
Sabbath  exercises,  and  to  make  constant  progress  in  the 
art  of  enriching  the  minds  of  the  young  with  the  knowl- 
edge of  God  contained  in  the  Bible  and  Catechism,  and 
of  drawing  them  to  Christ.  This  all-important  end  could 
be  approximated  by  the  Sessions  of  our  churches  becom- 
ing officially  and  thoroughly  identified  with  their  Sabbath- 
schools,  by  establishing  classes  in  which  teachers,  and 
those  who  might  become  such,  could  be  more  thoroughly 
trained  in  the  Scriptures,  and  by  each  Presbytery,  either 
through  a  colporteur  or  through  one  or  more  of  its  own 
members,  appointed  as  a  Permanent  Committee  for  the 
purpose,  holding  frequent  Sabbath-school  meetings  within 
its  bounds.     By  this  a  deeper  interest  in  the  Sabbath- 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  113 

school  work  could  be  excited  and  greater  efficiency  in 
teaching  promoted. 

For  the  highest  efficiency  and  success,  it  will  become 
advisable  to  have  a  General  Superintendent  of  Sabbath- 
School  Work  to  devote  his  whole  energies  to  the  promotion 
of  its  interests.  He  could  be  a  medium  of  communica- 
tion concerning  all  that  would  promote  the  welfare  of  the 
cause.  Himself  thoroughly  abreast  of  the  times  in  all 
the  healthful  improvements  in  the  work  of  Sabbath- 
schools,  he  could  circulate  the  knowledge  of  them  through 
all  our  churches,  and  by  visiting  Synods,  Presbyteries  and 
congregations,  and  assisting  at  Sabbath-school  meetings  in 
connection  with  these  bodies,  he  could  impart  information, 
stimulate  interest  and  excite  liberality  that  would  be  felt 
throughout  all  our  bounds. 

A  third  branch  of  this  work  of  the  Church  should  be 
the  planting  of  new  Sabbath-schools  in  destitute  locali- 
ties. It  is  surely  high  time  for  the  Presbyterian  Church 
to  move  in  this  matter,  as  her  sister-churches  are  already 
moving.  We  are  now,  as  a  body,  strong  enough  to  con- 
duct this  distinct  and  most  important  enterprise.  It  is 
believed  that  our  ministers  and  people  are  ready  and 
anxious  to  enter  upon  it  with  all  vigor.  Certainly,  other 
denominations  are  looking  for  us  to  be  amongst  the  fore- 
most in  this  enterprise,  which  must  be  productive  of  vast 
results  for  good.  We  might  expect  every  Sabbath-school 
organized  through  our  instrumentality  to  become  a  centre 
of  salutary  influences,  and  many  to  lead  to  the  organization 
of  churches. 

To  effect  this  end,  very  little  addition  to  our  present 
operations  would  be  needed.  In  appointing  colporteurs 
we  have  but  to  request  the  Presbyteries  to  nominate  men 
who  would  be  capable  of  acting  as  Sabbath-school  mis- 
sionaries, and  to  authorize  them  to  seek  out  proper  locali- 
8 


114  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

ties  and  there  plant  Sabbath-scliools.  This,  with  larger 
contributions  from  the  churches,  to  meet  the  increased 
expense  of  such  agencies,  is  all  that  would  be  needed. 

Such,  then,  is  an  outline  of  the  Sabbath -school  work  to 
which,  as  a  Church,  we  seem  to  be  imperatively  called. 
This  is  the  Church's  work  emphatically,  if  there  is  any 
work  for  her  to  do.  The  Sabbath-school  is  not  a  thing 
distinct  from  the  Church — it  is  productive  of  evil  to  regard 
it  as  such — but  it  is  the  Church  working  in  the  instruction 
of  its  own  children,  its  largest  and  most  hopeful  element, 
and  in  the  evangelization  of  tlie  children  of  those  not 
connected  with  the  Church.  Whatever  the  Church  does 
here  should  be  done  in  her  organized  capacity.  She  is 
responsible :  she  is  a  divinely-appointed  teacher. 

In  carrying  forward  this  work  there  should  be  no  assum- 
ing of  the  work  of  individual  churches  or  Presbyteries,  no 
taking  away  from  them  of  the  responsibility  resting  upon 
them.  That  would  be  paralyzing  and  destructive  of  the 
best  interests  of  the  cause.  All  that  is  done  should  be 
done  through  Sessions  and  Presbyteries,  which  must  ever 
be  the  immediate  and  responsible  agents  of  the  Church's 
work. 

It  is  not  believed  that  any  new  Board  or  Department 
for  this  object  would  be  acceptable  to  the  Church,  or  that 
any  is  necessary  to  accomplish  the  end  aimed  at.  The 
feeling  in  the  Church  is  manifestly  adverse  to  the  increase 
of  distinct  agencies.  Besides,  no  new  Department  could 
have  the  facilities  for  carrying  on  this  work  which  are 
already  possessed  by  the  Board  of  Publication  and  in 
actual  operation.  A  very  large  amount  of  the  work  of  a 
Sabbath-school  Department  must  be  carried  on  through 
publications  of  various  kinds ;  and  this  is  the  prominent 
work  of  the  Board.  The  Board  of  Publication  can  fur- 
nish libraries  of  its  own  publications,  and  also  of  approved 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  115 

books  from  other  publishers ;  it  can  prepare  helps  of  every 
kind  for  the  study  of  the  Bible ;  it  can  issue  periodicals 
for  scholars  and  teachers ;  it  can  circulate  intelligence 
concerning  the  interests  of  Sabbath- schools ;  and  it  can 
so  enlarge  the  duties  of  its  colporteurs  that  they  may  also 
act  as  Sabbath-school  missionaries  with  but  little  departure 
from  its  present  arrangements. 

After  a  careful  and  thorough  investigation  of  the  whole 
subject,  we  would  therefore  recommend  the  following  for 
the  adoption  of  the  General  Assembly,  with  the  explana- 
tions already  given  in  this  report — viz. : 

1st.  That  the  Board  of  Publication  be  instructed  so  to 
enlarge  its  arrangements  as  to  make  the  Sabbath-school 
work  a  prominent  and  organic  part  of  its  operations.* 

2d.  That  the  Board,  so  enlarged  in  the  sphere  of  its 
operations,  keep  before  it  these  three  branches  of  Sabbath- 
school  work : 

A.  To  furnish  a  complete  literature  for  Sabbath-schools, 
consisting  of  its  own  and  other  well-selected  books  for 
libraries,  helps  of  all  kinds  for  the  study  of  the  Scriptures 
and  Catechism,  periodicals  for  teachers  and  scholars,  and 
all  other  apparatus  fitted  to  give  efficiency  to  the  work  of 
teaching. 

B.  To  establish  such  agencies  as  it  may  deem  suitable 
for  elevating  the  standard  of  teaching  and  more  thoroughly 
developing  the  great  idea  of  Sabbath-schools — that  of 
imparting  the  knowledge  of  God  to  the  young  and  drawing 
them  to  the  salvation  of  Christ. 

C.  In  appointing  colporteurs,  as  far  as  possible,  to  select 
such  persons  as  may  also  be  suitable  for  Sabbath-school 

♦Amended  by  the  General  Assembly  so  as  to  read  as  follows:  "1st. 
That  the  Board  of  Publication  be  instructed  so  to  enlarge  its  arrange- 
ments as  to  make  the  Sabbath-school  work  a  prominent  and  organic  part 
of  its  operations  and  that  it  is  exceedingly  desirable  that  the  entire  con- 
gregations in  onr  churches  old  and  young,  be  perm:inently  connecied 
with  the  Sabbath-school,  either  as  scholars  or  teachers." 


116  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

missionaries,  and  instruct  them  to  establish  Sabbath- 
schools  in  destitute  localities,  under  the  supervision  of  the 
Presbyteries. 

3d.  That  the  churches  be  urged  to  contribute  more 
largely  to  the  Missionary  Fund  of  this  Board  to  meet  the 
increased  expense  which  the  working  of  this  branch  of 
its  operations  will  demand. 

GENERAL   SUPERINTENDENT    OF    SABBATH-SCHOOL 
WORK. 

These  recommendatious  of  the  Board  with  regard  to 
the  organization  of  a  Sabbath-school  Depailment 
having  been  approved  by  the  Assembly,  the  Board  at 
its  annual  meeting,  June  13,  1871 — 

Resolved,  That  the  Missionary  Committee  be  instructed 
to  carry  into  effect  the  Plan  thus  adopted,  excepting  those 
portions  of  the  work  naturally  belonging  to  the  Publishing 
Committee,  and  that  it  be  authorized  to  secure  the  services 
of  a  suitable  man  for  the  post  of  General  Superintendent 
or  Sabbath-school  Work,  at  a  proper  salary,  subject  to 
confirmation  by  the  Board. 

After  a  prolonged  and  earnest  search  for  a  person 
well  qualified  for  the  service  required,  the  Board  elected 
Mr.  J.  Bennet  Tyler  to  the  oflace  of  General  Superin- 
tendent of  Sabbath-School  Work.  Mr.  Tyler  had  been 
for  some  time  the  District  Secretary  of  the  American 
Sunday-School  Union  for  the  city  and  State  of  New 
York,  where  his  labors  had  been  attended  with  marked 
acceptance  and  success.  He  accepted  the  position 
offered  to  him,  and  entered  upon  the  performance  of 
his  new  duties  January  1,  1872. 


BOARD  OF   PUBLICATION.  117 

Mr.  Tyler  was  instructed  by  the  Missionary  Com- 
mittee, under  whose  direction  the  Board  had  placed 
his  work,  "to  visit  as  generally  as  possible  our  Synods, 
Presbyteries  and  congregations,  and  assist  at  Sabbath- 
school  meetings  in  connection  with  these  bodies,  con- 
sidering this  the  most  prominent  and  vital  part  of  his 
work."  He  was  also  directed  to  send  to  the  Missionary 
Committee,  "through  the  Corresponding  Secretary,  at 
each  monthly  meeting,  a  brief  written  report  of  his 
work  and  progress  during  the  preceding  month." 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  duties  required  of  Mr. 
Tyler  were  to  a  very  great  extent  field  duties.  During 
the  five  years  which  he  gave  to  the  Board's  Sabbath - 
school  work  he  labored  with  great  energy  and  dili- 
gence, and  with  encouraging  success.  In  carrying 
out  the  instructions  of  the  Board  he  traveled  exten- 
sively through  every  part  of  our  Church  territory, 
conducted  institutes  and  normal  classes  for  teachers, 
attended  meetings  and  conventions,  addressed  Presby- 
teries and  Synods,  and  endeavored  to  enlist  attention 
and  interest  touching  the  objects  and  work  to  be  ac- 
complished. It  was  deemed  important  to  secure  for 
this  department  of  the  Board's  work  a  more  pro- 
nounced ecclesiastical  recognition ;  to  promote,  as  far 
as  practicable,  a  higher  and  truer  conception  of  the 
possibilities  of  good  inherent  in  the  proper  religious 
training  of  the  children;  to  enlist  Presbyteries  and 
Synods  more  fully  in  the  discussion  of  topics  pertaining 
to  the  Sabbath-school ;  to  hold  institutes  and  Sabbath- 
school  meetings  within  our  own  lines ;  in  a  word,  to 
develop  the  great  wealth  of  talent  and  culture  within 


118  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

our  bounds,  and  as  widely  as  possible.  For  this  pur- 
pose the  Superintendent  corresponded  by  circulars  and 
personal  letters  with  committees  of  Presbyteries  and 
Synods,  attended  and  conducted  Synodical  and  Pres- 
byterial  Institutes  and  meetings,  as  extensively  as  his 
time  and  strength  would  allow.  The  great  aim  in 
these  labors  was  to  secure,  as  far  as  practicable,  unity 
of  action  over  the  whole  field  of  Sabbath-school  inter- 
ests ;  to  bring  our  schools  into  closer  and  more  intimate 
relations  to  the  Church  and  the  pastor;  to  promote 
more  thorough  and  systematic  Bible  and  Catechetical 
study  and  instruction,  and  to  secure  denominational 
unity  and  co-operation. 

At  the  outset  little  was  known  with  regard  to  the 
number  and  work  of  our  schools.  It  seemed  important 
to  reach  these  widely-scattered  schools.  Blanks  were 
accordingly  sent  early  in  1872  to  all  our  pastors 
throughout  the  country  asking  for  detailed  statistics 
of  our  schools.  Efforts  were  thus  made  to  obtain  the 
names  of  superintendents,  with  the  number  of  schools, 
of  teachers  and  of  scholars,  and  the  facts  in  full. 

The  General  Assembly  of  1872  gave  its  hearty 
approval  of  these  plans  and  labors,  and  voted  unani- 
mously— 

That  the  General  Superintendent  of  Sabbath-school 
Work  should  receive  the  cordial  co-operation  of  the 
Synods,  Presbyteries,  pastors,  superintendents  and  all 
workers  and  friends  of  the  Sabbath-school  in  executing 
the  plans  of  the  Board. 

That  every  Presbytery  take  measures  at  its  Spring 
meeting  to  gather  and  transmit  to  the  General  Superin- 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  119 

tendent  of  Sabbath-school  Work  the  detailed  statistics 
for  the  year  of  the  schools  within  its  bounds. 

This  attempt  to  obtain  full  and  reliable  statistics,  we 
are  compelled  to  say,  was  for  the  time  only  partially 
successful,  notwithstanding  the  approval  and  recom- 
mendation of  the  Assembly  and  the  earnest  efforts  of 
the  Superintendent.  It  remained  for  later  and  more 
persistent  effort  to  secure  the  end  sought.  Still,  this 
preliminary  work  was  not  in  vain. 

SABBATH-SCHOOL   LITERATURE. 

The  first  of  the  three  branches  of  Sabbath-school 
work  which  the  Board  on  its  own  recommendation  was 
directed  to  keep  before  it  was — 

A.  To  furnish  a  complete  literature  for  Sabbath- 
schools,  consisting  of  its  own  and  other  well-selected  books 
for  libraries,  helps  of  all  kinds  for  the  study  of  the  Script- 
ures and  Catechism,  periodicals  for  teachers  and  scholars, 
and  all  other  apparatus  fitted  to  give  efficiency  to  the 
work  of  teaching. 

Very  much  had  been  done  in  the  direction  here 
indicated  by  the  separate  publication-houses  before  the 
Reunion.  The  Catalogue  of  the  consolidated  Board 
contained  the  names  of  about  six  hundred  works  ad- 
mirably adapted  for  use  in  the  Sabbath-school  library. 
From  year  to  year  many  volumes  of  a  similar  charac- 
ter were  added  to  the  list.  Able  and  experienced 
writers  were  called  into  the  service  of  the  Board,  and 
gave  to  the  Church  a  great  variety  of  interesting 
works.  Year  after  year  the  Assembly  has  carefully 
noted  the  Board's  publications  for  use  in  Sabbath- 


120  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

schools,  and  commended  them,  and  year  after  year  it 
has  encouraged  the  Board  to  go  forward  and  make 
further  additions  to  its  Sabbath-school  library  of  the 
same  kind.  Presbyteries  and  Synods,  following  the 
example  of  the  General  Assembly,  have  urged  the 
churches  within  their  bounds  to  furnish  their  Sabbath- 
school  libraries  with  the  books  of  the  Board  in  prefer- 
ence to  all  others  and  before  going  elsewhere  for  a 
supply.  Successive  Assemblies  have  repeated  and 
emphasized  the  utterance  of  the  Assembly  of  1877  : 

A  Church  whose  just  claim  it  has  always  been  that  she 
has  a  learned  and  godly  ministry,  an  intelligent  and 
knowledge-loving  membership  equal  to  any  in  the  world, 
and  an  eldership  worthy  to  represent  such  a  people  and 
share  the  labors  of  the  ministry,  cannot  afford  to  ignore 
or  disparage  a  literature  like  this,  produced  by  her  own 
eminent  authors. 

The  time  has  come  when  our  whole  Church,  like  other 
great  denominations  in  the  land,  should  give  to  our  litera- 
ture that  loyal  attachment  and  preference  which  it  merits, 
and  which  hitherto  has  been  given  only  in  part. 

In  addition  to  its  own  issues,  to  which,  of  course,  the 
first  place  and  the  chief  prominence  is  given,  a  care- 
fully-selected assortment  of  the  publications  of  other 
houses  is  constantly  kept  in  stock.  Everything  may 
here  be  procured  that  our  Sabbath-school  workers 
need  in  the  prosecution  of  their  work.  Libraries, 
maps,  blackboards,  officers'  minute-  and  record-books, 
class-books,  and  all  other  facilities  for  the  management 
of  the  school  may  be  had  in  great  variety. 


BOARD   OF   rUBLICATlON.  ]21 

WESTMINSTER   LESSON   HELPS. 

It  is  a  strange  fact  that  until  the  Reunion  our  Sab- 
bath-schools were  compelled  to  seek  Lesson  Helps,  as 
well  as  other  requisites,  from  outside  agencies.  As  a 
consequence,  these  very  important  educational  appli- 
ances were  obtained  from  the  most  diverse  sources — 
from  voluntary  societies,  private  publishing-houses, 
and  not  a  few  from  denominational  houses  other  than 
our  own.  Whilst  many  of  these  were  excellent  of 
their  kind,  they  failed  to  meet  the  wants  of  our  Church 
in  the  important  work  of  educating  her  young  people 
for  her  own  communion.  This  state  of  things  was 
anomalous  and  every  way  undesirable.  The  evils  were 
manifold.  The  effect  on  the  schools  was  the  opposite 
of  unity  and  denominational  co-operation.  The  tend- 
ency was  directly  toward  disintegration — to  the  pro- 
motion of  party  and  sectional  feeling.  The  Sabbath- 
school  Department  from  the  beginning  sought  steadily 
and  earnestly  to  bring  our  schools  into  communion 
and  sympathy  with  one  another  and  with  the  plans 
and  purposes  of  the  Church — to  create  a  common  bond 
of  union  among  the  thousands  of  teachers  who  com- 
prise so  largely  the  active  and  efficient  workers  in  our 
churches,  and  the  half  million  of  scholars  who  are 
so  soon,  for  better  or  worse,  to  take  their  place.  A 
community  of  literature,  the  use  of  the  same  helps 
and  the  singing  of  the  same  songs  were  believed  to 
have  a  powerful  influence  in  this  direction. 

In  carrying  out  the  instructions  of  the  Assembly, 
and  in  accord  with  a  wish  widely  felt,  and  often  uttered, 
the  Board  in  1871  entered  upon  the  issue  of  a  series 


122  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

of  Lesson  Helps  for  Sabbath-school  use.  The  work  of 
preparing  these  Helps  was  entrusted  to  the  Rev.  Henry 
C.  McCook,  D.  D.,  whose  large  experience  and  enlight- 
ened enthusiasm  in  the  cause  gave  peculiar  fitness  for 
the  work.  To  him  belongs  the  honor  of  giving  to 
these  Helps  the  appropriate  name  of  }Vestvii7i8ter — a 
name  now  familiar  to  all  the  Sabbath-school  workers 
of  our  Church.  The  plan  marked  out  by  Dr.  McCook 
and  adopted  by  the  Board  embraced  a  full  curriculum 
of  Bible  study  extending  through  eight  years,  and 
giving  lessons  on  both  the  Old  and  the  New  Testaments. 
Four  series,  each  covering  a  period  of  six  months, 
were  issued.  Series  No.  1  and  No.  2  were  on  "  The 
Last  Year  of  our  Lord's  Ministry ;"  Series  No.  3  and 
No.  4  were  on  "  The  Last  Week  of  Christ's  Ministry." 

"  The  Westminster  Sabbath-School  Lessons "  met 
with  immediate  favor.  The  "  Teachers'  Paper*  "  con- 
tained critical  expository  notes,  together  with  ques- 
tions, practical  thoughts  and  suggestive  hints  of  great 
value  to  teachers  in  preparation  for  their  class-work. 
The  "  Scholars'  Papers  "  were  in  like  manner  adjusted 
to  the  wants  of  the  scholars  in  our  Presbyterian  Sab- 
bath-schools. The  "  Teachers'  Papers  "  of  1871  and 
1 872  were  also  published  in  two  bound  volumes,  with 
the  title  The  Teacher^s  Commentary.  These  volumes 
form  a  practical  commentary  of  great  value  upon  that 
portion  of  the  life  and  teachings  of  Christ  commonly 
assigned  to  the  last  year  of  our  Lord's  ministry. 

A  series  of  "  Lessons  on  the  Early  Ministry  of  Jesus  " 
had  been  prepared  and  stereotyped  in  part.  This,  had 
it  been  issued,  would  have  made,  with  the  four  series 


BOARD    OF    PUBLICATION.  123 

previously  published,  a  complete  study  of  the  life  of 
Christ.  But  after  full  deliberation  it  was  resolved  lo 
set  aside  the  plan  of  study  adopted  by  the  Board,  and 
to  take  up  in  its  place  the  course  known  as  the  Inter- 
national Series,  which  was  begun  with  January,  1873. 
This  was  in  accordance  with  the  earnest  convictions 
and  urgent  request  of  Dr.  McCook  himself.  The 
Board  at  first  was  unwilling  to  make  the  change,  but 
finally  entered  upon  the  International  Series;  and 
thenceforward  we  have  had  the  pleasure  of  walking  in 
harmonious  unity  with  other  branches  of  the  Church 
catholic,  whilst  giving  to  our  youth  teachings  in  ac- 
cordance with  our  own  Standards. 

The  plans  of  the  Board  contemplated  the  prepara- 
tion and  issue  of  suitable  and  suflicient  helps  for  both 
teachers  and  scholars.  In  the  execution  of  these 
plans  it  called  to  its  aid  a  number  of  the  most  promi- 
nent and  learned  men  in  the  Church,  among  whom  we 
may  name  the  Rev.  Drs.  Jacobus,  Niccolls,  Duryea, 
Herrick  Johnson  and  A.  A.  Hodge.  The  Westminster 
Lesson  Leaf  was  begun  in  1873.  The  first  Westmins- 
ter Question-Book  was  issued  for  the  year  1875,  and 
the  Westminster  Quarterly,  a  help  for  older  and  more 
advanced  scholars,  in  1880.  The  Westminster  Primary 
Leaf  and  Quarterly  and  a  German  Leaf  complete  the 
list.  The  extended  circulation  of  most  of  these  Helps 
for  Teachers  and  Scholars,  now  far  exceeding  the 
most  sanguine  expectations  of  the  Board,  clearly 
show  that  they  have  met  a  felt  want,  and  that  they 
commend  themselves  to  the  active  Sabbath-school 
workers   of  our  Church. 


124  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

THE   SHORTER   CATECHISM. 

The  Shorter  Catechism  also  holds  a  prominent  place 
in  the  Sabbath-school  Helps  of  the  Board.  In  the 
eighteen  years  that  have  elapsed  since  the  Reunion  the 
Board  has  issued,  in  its  separate  form  alone,  no  less 
than  2,484,000  copies,  not  including  those  in  six  other 
languages  than  the  English.  In  addition  to  this,  it 
has  been  sent  forth  in  many  other  forms  and  connec- 
tions. The  Westminster  Question-Book,  Quarterly 
and  Lesson  Leaf,  with  their  immense  circulation,  carry 
at  least  one  question  and  answer  in  consecutive  order 
with  every  Sabbath's  lesson,  illustrating  it,  and  illus- 
trated by  it.  Beyond  question,  the  teachings  of  the 
Catechism  are  thus  brought  home  to  a  larger  number 
of  the  children  and  youth  of  our  Church  than  at  any 
previous  time  in  its  history.  It  is  still  a  living  power, 
and  it  will  continue  to  be  increasingly  so,  so  long  as 
the  Lesson  Helps  furnished  by  the  Board  are  loyally 
used  and  faithfully  taught  in  our  families  and  schools. 
Of  the  Catechism  for  Young  Children,  an  Introduction 
to  the  Shorter  Catechism,  the  Board  has  issued,  since 
1871,  2,720,000  copies. 

Carefully-collected  statistics  show  that  these  Helps 
are  now  used  in  nearly  eighty  per  cent,  of  our  Sabbath- 
schools.     AYhy  should  they  not  find  a  place  in  all  ? 

PERIODICALS. 

To  furnish  periodicals  for  teachers  and  scholars  was 
also  made  by  the  Assembly  of  1871  a  part  of  the 
Board's  Sabbath-school  work.  From  year  to  year  in- 
creased attention  has  been  given  to  such  publications. 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  125 

The  "  periodical "  is,  at  this  day,  an  enormous  power 
for  good  or  for  evil.  If  less  heavy  in  its  impact  than 
the  book,  it  outdoes  it  in  the  multiplicity  of  its  blows. 
Where  books  can  be  circulated  by  the  hundred  or 
thousand,  periodicals  can  be  sent  forth  by  tens  and 
hundreds  of  thousands.  And  this  relative  superiority 
in  the  influence  of  the  periodical  is  rapidly  increasing. 
The  Board  has  not  been  unmindful  of  the  times. 
It  has  constantly  aimed  at  the  enlargement  of  its 
ability  to  reach  and  to  educate  our  children  and 
youth  through  this  agency.  In  this  aim  it  has  been 
greatly  assisted  by  the  growing  efficiency  of  its 
Sabbath-school  work. 

"the  sabbath-school  visitor." 
This  was  the  only  illustrated  Sabbath-school  paper 
published  by  the  Board  before  the  Keunion.  It  is 
still  fresh  and  full  of  the  sprightly  life  of  youth — a 
welcome  visitor  in  many  thousands  of  homes.  For 
some  years  it  was  issued  monthly,  then  twice  a  month ; 
and  in  1877  it  was  made  a  weekly  paper.  A  change 
was  again  made  in  1883  to  meet  the  demand  of  many 
churches  of  small  means  for  a  paper  with  all  the  excel- 
lences of  the  Visitor,  but  at  a  smaller  cost  than  even 
its  low  price.  Since  that  date  the  Visitor  has  been 
published  on  the  first  and  third  weeks  of  each  month, 
and  another  paper, 

"  THE    MORNING   STAR," 

has  taken  the  place  of  the  Visitor  for  the  second  and 
fourth  weeks  of  each  month.     This  paper  is  in  every 


126  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

respect  equal  to  the  Visitor,  but  of  one-half  its  size, 
yet  with  more  than  one-half  the  amount  of  reading. 
It  is  published  at  an  extremely  low  price,  so  as  to  put 
it  within  the  reach  of  all. 

"the   PRESBYTERIAN    AT   WORK." 

With  January,  1873,  the  Board  began  the  pub- 
lication of  a  new  periodical,  The  Presbyterian  at 
Work,  The  rapidly-growing  interest  in  the  Board's 
Sabbath-school  Department,  the  entrance  upon  more 
specific  efforts  for  Sabbath-school  improvement,  eleva- 
tion and  extension,  the  labors  of  a  Superintendent  of 
this  branch  of  church  work,  the  systematic  shape 
taken  by  Sabbath-school  Bible  study, — all  combined 
to  demand  a  channel  through  which  this  current  of 
interest,  study,  labor  and  thought  might  flow  out  to 
the  people  of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  Whilst  meeting 
this  demand,  it  was  deemed  wise  to  give  our  people  a 
paper  containing  also  hints,  suggestions  and  instruc- 
tions upon  other  forms  of  lay  activity. 

The  warm  reception  of  this  paper  proved  that  in  its 
publication  the  Board  did  not  misunderstand  the  needs 
or  the  wishes  of  its  constituents.  At  the  end  of  six 
months,  with  July,  1873,  its  size  was  enlarged  by  the 
addition  to  it  of  the  Westminster  Teachers'  Papers 
(which  had  previously  been  published  in  pamphlet 
form),  without  any  increase  in  price.  This  change 
brought  with  it  an  immediate  influx  of  new  sub- 
scribers. To  our  Sabbath-school  teachers  and  workers 
it  supplied  just  the  assistance  they  needed  in  preparing 
for  their  labors  in  the  Sabbath-school,  and  the  stim- 


BOARD    OF    PUBLICATION.  127 

ulus  SO  important  to  all  ^vho  are  engaged  in  good 
deeds  for  their  fellow-men.  With  January,  1876,  its 
form  was  changed  to  a  quarto  of  sixteen  pages,  in 
compliance  with  the  request  of  many  of  its  friends. 
From  the  beginning  its  largest  constituency  was  found 
among  the  teachers  of  our  Sabbath-schools. 

"the   WESTMINSTER   TEACHER." 

With  the  beginning  of  1879,  Tlie  Presbyterian  at 
Work  was  changed  in  form,  contents  and  title,  and 
became  The  Westminster  Teacher.  It  took  the  octavo 
form,  as  more  convenient  for  use  and  preservation. 
Leaving  more  general  topics  to  the  weekly  religious 
press,  it  became  specifically  a  helper  to  the  officers, 
teachers  and  advanced  pupils  of  our  Sabbath-schools. 
This  change  of  form  and  plan  met  with  unqualified 
approval,  and  led  to  considerable  additions  to  its  sub- 
scription-list. It  is  now  published  in  octavo  form, 
forty  pages  monthly.  It  contains  from  month  to 
month  full  and  varied  expositions  of  the  International 
Bible  Lessons,  with  other  valuable  editorial  and  con- 
tributed articles.  Commendatory  notices  of  it  have 
been  received  from  all  parts  of  the  world,  many  of 
them  from  pastors  and  workers  of  other  denomina- 
tions. Its  value  as  a  Sabbath-school  help  cannot  be 
overestimated.  To  Sabbath-school  teachers  and  scholars 
of  our  own  denomination  it  gives  aid  not  elsewhere 
attainable,  and  to  them  it  is  indispensable. 

"the  sunbeam." 
With  January,  1875,  the  Board  entered  upon  the 


128  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

publication  of  a  paper  for  the  very  little  people,  espe- 
cially those  in  the  Infant  Schools  and  Primary  Classes. 
With  lively  illustrations,  tinted  paper,  large  type  and 
easy  reading,  the  Sunbeam  offered  itself  to  the  young 
folks.  It  immediately  met  so  hearty  a  welcome  as  to 
prove  that  it  had  a  mission  to  fulfill.  In  the  first 
month  of  its  publication  it  was  an  assured  success. 
For  the  first  year  four  numbers  were  furnished  monthly. 
With  the  second  year  it  was  made  a  weekly  paper.  It 
also  serves  as  a  primary  lesson  leaf  on  the  Inter- 
national Series.  From  year  to  year  it  has  continued 
to  shine  on  an  increasing  army  of  young  admirers. 

"  FORWARD." 

With  January,  1882,  the  Board  began  the  pub- 
lication of  Forward,  an  illustrated  monthly  paper, 
sixteen  pages  quarto,  to  meet  the  wants  of  that  class 
of  our  young  people  who  have  outgrown  the  "  chil- 
dren's papers,"  and  who  demand  something  more 
mature.  Since  1885  it  has  been  published  twice  each 
month.  It  is  made  attractive  by  pictorial  illustrations, 
whilst  its  aim  is  to  furnish  articles  of  an  instructive 
and  elevating  character,  and  yet  to  avoid  being  dull 
and  heavy.  The  name  of  the  paper  is  suggestive  and 
fitly  embodies  its  aims — ^to  lead  its  readers  on  to  better 
things,  to  inspire  and  help  them  upward  and  forward. 
It  has  steadily  but  not  rapidly  grown  in  popular  favor, 
and  we  trust  will  soon  attain  the  extended  circulation 
to  which  its  real  merits  entitle  it. 

The  value  of  the  w^ork  of  the  Board  in  the  publica- 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  129 

tion  of  these  periodicals  can  never  be  estimated.  So 
many  bright,  clear,  inspiring  pages  bearing  holy,  help- 
ful thoughts,  sent  out  every  week  by  thousands  into  so 
many  homes,  cannot  fail  to  perform  a  ministry  of  in- 
calculable worth.  The  influence  of  all  these  printed 
pages  in  the  training  of  the  children  and  youth  of  the 
land  cannot  but  be  of  the  most  beneficent  and  lasting 
character.  Their  constantly-increasing  circulation 
shows  that  the  Church  has  a  proper  appreciation  of 
their  excellence. 

EDITORIAL   ASSISTANCE. 

The  great  expansion  of  the  Board's  work  during  the 
first  decade  after  the  Reunion,  especially  in  the  increase 
of  the  number  of  illustrated  Sabbath-school  papers 
and  lesson  helps,  laid  a  largely-increased  amount  of 
labor  and  responsibility  upon  the  Editorial  Secretary. 
The  General  Assembly  of  1880,  after  speaking  with 
approval  of  the  labors  of  the  Board  and  of  the  fidelity 
of  its  members,  said : 

These  facts  sufficiently  attest  the  fidelity  of  the  brethren 
who  compose  the  Board,  and  the  conclusion  which  their 
actions  compel  is  confirmed  by  the  "  Attendance  Roll " 
that  has  been  placed  in  the  hands  of  your  Committee. 
Most  of  them,  as  ascertained  from  this,  have  been  present 
at  nearly  every  meeting  held  during  during  the  past  twelve 
months.  In  the  review  of  their  counsels  and  plans  we  find 
much  to  commend  and  nothing  to  condemn.  It  is  obvious, 
however,  that  the  increase  which  calls  forth  our  gratitude 
to  God  has  brought  with  it  large  increase  of  labor  for  the 
Editor  of  our  periodicals,  and,  as  this  labor  is  becoming 
heavy  for  him  to  bear  alone,  your  Committee  recommend 
9 


130  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

that  the  Board  be  instructed  to  provide  a  suitable  assistant 
to  share  with  him  the  duties  he  has  so  well  discharged 
and  the  responsibilities  he  has  faithfully  met. 

In  accordance  with  these  instructions,  the  Board,  after 
diligent  inquiry,  made  choice  of  the  Rev.  J.  R.  Miller, 
then  pastor  of  the  Broadway  Presbyterian  Church 
of  Rock  Island,  111.,  and  appointed  him  Assistant  to 
the  Editorial  Secretary.  This  position  was  accepted 
by  Mr.  Miller,  and  he  entered  upon  its  duties  in  July, 
1880.  The  Board  and  the  Church  were  united  in  the 
judgment  that  Mr.  Miller  possessed  uncommon  adap- 
tation to  the  work,  and  his  untiring  labors  not  only 
relieved  the  overburdened  Editorial  Secretary,  but 
also  added  largely  to  the  value  and  usefulness  of  the 
publications  of  the  Board. 

NORMAL-CLASS   INSTRUCTION. 

A  second  branch  of  Sabbath-school  work  which  the 
Board  at  the  Reunion  was  directed  to  make  a  prominent 
and  organic  part  of  its  operations  was — 

B.  To  establish  such  agencies  as  it  may  deem  suitable 
for  elevating  the  standard  of  teaching,  and  more  thoroughly 
developing  the  great  idea  of  Sabbath-schools — that  of  im- 
parting the  knowledge  of  God  to  the  young  and  drawing 
them  to  the  salvation  of  Christ. 

The  appointment  of  a  General  Superintendent  of 
Sabbath-school  Work  had  specific  reference  to  this 
branch  of  labor.  In  the  discharge  of  the  duties  of 
this  office  Mr.  Tyler  labored  with  faithfulness  and  in- 
dustry. During  each  of  the  five  years  that  he  was  in 
the  service  of  the  Board   he  traveled   from  ten  to 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  131 

twelve  thousand  miles,  visited  Presbyteries  and  Synods, 
conducted  Synodical  and  Presbyterial  Institutes,  and 
sought  to  secure  a  closer  unity  of  the  schools  with  the 
Church  and  with  one  another.  Time  and  labor  were 
also  given  to  the  education  and  training  of  teachers  and 
the  attainment  of  a  higher  and  better  grade  of  teaching 
by  the  formation  of  Normal  Classes  in  towns  and 
cities,  and  of  Training  Classes  in  individual  churches. 
Besides  these  laborious  field-duties,  a  part  of  his 
time  was  devoted  to  office  work  in  the  preparation  of 
the  Westminster  Lesson  Leaf,  of  contributions  to  the 
Presbyterian  at  Work,  and,  in  connection  with  other 
contributors,  in  the  preparation  of  the  Normal-Class 
Book  Preparing  to  Teach,  a  work  of  great  value,  which 
ought  to  be  in  the  hands  of  every  Sabbath-school 
teacher. 

SABBATH-SCHOOL   MISSION  WORK. 

A  third  branch  of  Sabbath-school  Work  embraced 
in  the  plan  of  the  Board  adopted  by  the  Assembly  of 
1871  was— 

C.  In  appointing  colporteurs,  as  far  as  possible  to  select 
such  persons  as  may  also  be  suitable  for  Sabbath -school 
missionaries,  and  instruct  them  to  establish  Sabbath- 
schools  in  destitute  localities,  under  the  supervision  of 
the  Presbyteries. 

The  Board  was  not  unmindful  of  this  direction  of 
the  Assembly.  In  carrying  it  out  it  sought  to  obtain 
the  co-operation  of  all  the  Presbyteries.  It  urged 
upon  them  the  appointment  of  Publication  Committees, 
according  to  the  direction  of  the  Assembly  of  1870, 


132  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

and  the  enlargement  of  their  functions  so  as  to  com- 
prehend all  duties  having  reference  to  Sabbath-school 
Work  within  their  respective  bounds.  It  especially 
requested  them,  in  recommending  persons  for  appoint- 
ment as  colporteurs,  to  have  due  reference  to  their 
qualifications  for  Sabbath-school  mission  work.  It 
incorporated  the  following  among  the  "  Instructions  " 
given  to  all  its  colporteurs : 

Endeavor  earnestly  to  visit  every  Presbyterian  Sabbath- 
school  within  your  fields  of  labor,  and  acquaint  yourself, 
so  far  as  you  can,  with  the  Superintendent,  teachers  and 
other  active  friends  of  the  school. 

Be  continually  on  the  lookout  for  destitute  localities 
where  Sabbath-schools  may  be  established ;  and  when  they 
are  found,  you  are  to  spare  no  pains,  under  the  supervision 
of  the  Presbytery  or  its  Publication  Committee,  to  effect 
an  organization  and  start  the  school  with  the  best  possible 
arrangements  for  permanent  success  and  usefulness. 

Eeport  quarterly  to  the  Superintendent  of  Colportage 
the  number  of  Sabbath-schools  you  visit  and  the  number 
you  have  established  in  destitute  localities. 

This  beginning  of  Sabbath-school  Mission  Work 
was  made  in  1872,  and  it  was  hoped  that  from  year  to 
year  it  would  become  an  increasingly  important  and 
useful  part  of  the  colporteur's  work,  fraught  with  bless- 
ings to  the  youth  of  our  land  and  the  Church  of  God. 
The  new  items  with  regard  to  Sabbath-schools  were 
first  reported  to  the  Assembly  of  1874.  The  Reports 
of  the  thirteen  years  ending  with  the  reorganization 
of  the  Board  in  1887  give  the  following  results : 

Visits  to  Sabbath  schools 19,775 

New  Sabbath-schools  organized 1,561 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  133 

The  Sabbath-schools  thus  visited  and  organized  were 
very  many  of  them  aided  by  grants  of  books,  lesson 
helps  and  other  requisites,  according  to  their  needs, 
and  as  liberally  as  the  missionary  resources  of  the 
Board  would  allow. 

The  Assembly  of  1875  bore  commendatory  testimony 
to  the  value  of  this  branch  of  the  Board's  work : 

The  Sabbath-school  Work  of  the  Board  has  been  con- 
ducted with  great  energy  and  prosperity,  has  greatly 
enlarged  the  sphere  of  usefulness  of  the  Board,  and  has 
established  itself  as  one  of  the  wisest  and  most  efficient  of 
the  late  missionary  and  benevolent  agencies  of  the  Church. 

Similar  testimony  was  given  by  the  General  Assem- 
bly of  1876. 

SABBATH-SCHOOL    WORK    REMODELED. 

But,  whilst  the  Assembly  thus  repeatedly  expressed 
its  hearty  approval  of  the  work  already  done,  there 
was  at  the  same  time  a  growing  conviction  that  this 
agency  had  not  attained  the  efficiency  that  the  im- 
portance and  urgency  of  the  work  demanded.  The 
Assembly  of  1876,  therefore,  besides  taking  the  action 
just  referred  to,  instructed  the  Board  "  to  inquire  into 
the  management  of  the  Sabbath-school  Department, 
with  a  view  to  its  greater  efficiency,  and  to  make  such 
changes  as  may  in  their  judgment  best  secure  this 
most  desirable  object." 

Failing  health  compelled  Mr.  Tyler  in  September, 
1876,  to  ask  a  release  from  the  service  of  the  Board, 
and  his  resignation  was  accordingly  accepted,  to  take 
effect  March  31,  1877.     In  his  position  as  Superin- 


134  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

tendent  of  Sabbath-school  Work  Mr.  Tyler  rendered 
important  service,  not  only  to  the  Presbyterian  Church, 
but  to  the  cause  of  Bible  study  and  Sabbath-school 
efficiency  at  large.  The  Board,  in  accepting  his  resig- 
nation, unanimously  expressed  "  its  sense  of  the  zeal, 
industry,  energy  and  fidelity  with  which  he  discharged 
the  difficult  duties  attached  to  his  office." 

The  Board  referred  the  instructions  of  the  Assembly 
to  its  Missionary  Committee,  which  had  the  supervision 
of  the  Sabbath-school  Department,  excepting  those 
portions  of  the  work  naturally  belonging  to  the  Pub- 
lication Committee.  The  Committee  gave  careful  and 
protracted  consideration  to  the  whole  subject,  exam- 
ined the  working  of  similar  departments  in  other 
denominations,  and  patiently  studied  the  peculiarities 
of  our  own  Church  as  they  might  furnish  facilities 
for  the  development  of  Sabbath-school  Work  or  demand 
its  earnest  prosecution.  And  in  view  of  the  light  thus 
obtained  the  Board  remodeled  and  defined  the  whole 
department,  and  especially  the  duties  of  the  Superin- 
tendent of  Sabbath-school  Work,  so  as  to  make  their 
influence  more  widely  felt  throughout  the  Church. 
This  action  of  the  Board  was  reported  to  the  General 
Assembly  of  1877,  and  received  its  approval. 

Under  the  plan  thus  remodeled  and  defined  Sabbath- 
school  Work  remained,  as  it  had  hitherto  been,  an 
integral  part  of  the  Missionary  Department  of  the 
Board,  under  the  direction  of  the  Missionary  Com- 
mittee, excepting  those  portions  of  the  work  naturally 
belonging  to  the  Publishing  Committee.  The  instruc- 
tions to  colporteurs  with  regard  to  this  portion  of  their 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  135 

duties  were  repeated  and  emphasized.  They  were 
directed,  as  they  went  from  one  neighborhood  to 
another,  to  visit,  encourage  and  aid  Sabbath-schools, 
especially  those  that  were  poor  or  feeble  or  imperfectly 
organized,  and  to  supply  them  with  the  library-books, 
Sabbath-school  lessons  and  periodicals  published  by 
the  Board.  They  were  also  instructed  to  gather, 
organize  and  help  new  Sabbath-schools  in  destitute 
and  needy  localities  where  the  children  and  youth 
were  growing  up  without  any  suitable  provision  for 
their  religious  instruction.  They  were  required  to 
report  as  to  their  diligence  in  the  discharge  of  these 
duties  and  the  results  of  their  labors  to  the  Superin- 
tendent of  Colportage,  or  Missionary  Work,  who,  under 
the  Missionary  Committee  and  the  Corresponding 
Secretary,  had  oversight  of  all  their  work. 

A  series  of  rules  was  formulated  for  the  direction  of 
the  General  Superintendent  in  his  work.  His  duties 
were  defined  as  follows : 

1.  He  shall  report  to  the  Missionary  Committee  at  its 
monthly  stated  meetings,  as  far  as  may  be  practicable,  and 
shall  consult  with  it  in  reference  to  his  various  plans  for 
developing  the  work;  he  shall  also  from  time  to  time 
report  to  the  Board. 

2.  It  shall  be  his  duty  thoroughly  to  acquaint  himself 
with  the  whole  subject,  and  to  devise  improved  methods 
of  Sabbath-school  work  for  the  use  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church. 

3.  With  the  approval  and  by  the  co-operation  of  Synods 
and  Presbyteries  he  shall  work  out  so  much  organization 
of  the  Sabbath-schools  of  our  Church  as  may  be  needed  to 
establish  local,  Presbyterial  and  Synodical  conventions  of 


136  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

teachers,  to  be  held  at  stated  intervals,  and  as  may  enable 
him  to  prepare  annually  a  statistical  exhibit  of  our  Sab- 
bath-schools. 

4.  As  far  as  practicable,  he  shall  attend  the  General 
Assembly,  Synods  and  Presbyteries,  and  present  the  in- 
terests of  the  Sabbath-school  cause.  He  shall  also  furnish 
information  in  regard  to  the  organization  of  Sabbath- 
School  Conventions,  and,  when  time  will  allow,  either 
conduct  them  or  assist  in  them,  as  may  be  desired. 

5.  He  shall  visit  churches  and  Sabbath-schools,  and, 
when  the  way  is  open,  occupy  pulpits,  presenting  the  in- 
terests and  wants  of  the  cause. 

6.  In  each  of  our  Theological  Seminaries,  when  the 
professors  shall  approve  and  furnish  the  opportunity,  he 
shall  from  time  to  time  deliver  lectures  on  the  importance 
of  the  Sabbath-school,  its  sphere  of  work  in  our  Church, 
its  proper  objects,  the  wisest  modes  of  conducting  it,  the 
pastor's  personal  work  in  it,  and  the  subject  of  preaching 
to  children. 

7.  He  shall  prepare  yearly  an  annual  of  Sabbath-school 
work,  containing  matured  counsels  on  the  subject,  intelli- 
gence concerning  the  progress  of  the  work,  and  whatever 
else  may  tend  to  increase  interest  in  it  among  our  churches ; 
also,  as  far  as  practicable,  a  statistical  table  of  all  our 
schools,  with  the  number  of  officers,  teachers  and  scholars 
in  each. 

8.  It  shall  be  his  duty,  in  all  his  addresses,  discourses 
and  public  and  private  conferences,  to  keep  it  before  him 
as  a  distinct  aim  to  stimulate  liberality,  especially  that  of 
Sabbath -schools  toward  the  Board's  Missionary  Fund,  to 
have  collections  of  the  churches  and  Sabbath-schools 
turned  into  its  treasury,  and  to  describe  the  Board's  pub* 
lications  and  urge  their  use  in  preference  to  others. 


BOARD  OF   PUBLICATION.  137 

SUPERINTENDENT   OF   SABBATH-SCHOOL    WORK. 

Great  care  was  taken  in  filling  the  vacant  ofiEice  of 
General  Superintendent.  After  extensive  correspond- 
ence and  consultation,  the  Board  in  January,  1878, 
unanimously  elected  the  Rev.  James  A.  Worden,  then 
pastor  of  the  Second  Presbyterian  Church  of  Steuben- 
ville,  Ohio.  Mr.  Worden  accepted  the  office,  and 
entered  upon  its  duties  April  1,  1878.  He  brought  to 
the  work  much  experience  in  Sabbath-school  affairs, 
and  his  election  gave  great  satisfaction  to  the  Church, 
especially  to  those  who  had  taken  an  active  part  in 
Sabbath-school  work.  The  field  and  plan  of  work,  as 
remodeled  and  defined  by  the  Board,  received  his 
cordial  approval  as  being  in  his  opinion  eminently 
wise  and  practicable. 

In  carrying  out  the  clearly-defined  plan  of  the 
Board  in  relation  to  his  office,  the  Superintendent 
from  the  beginning  labored  with  zeal  and  industry. 
During  the  first  year  he  attended  the  International 
Sabbath-School  Convention  at  Atlanta,  Georgia,  and 
addressed  it  on  The  True  Basis  of  Sabbath-School  Work; 
attended  the  General  Assembly  at  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  and 
took  part  in  a  large  and  interesting  Sabbath-school 
meeting  held  by  its  appointment;  represented  the 
Church  and  the  Board  on  the  International  Lesson 
Committee,  at  which  the  general  plan  of  lessons  of 
the  International  Series  for  the  next  seven  years  was 
decided;  visited  and  held  Sabbath-school  meetings, 
chiefly  on  the  Sabbath,  in  more  than  sixty  cities  and 
villages  in  ten  different  States;  took  part  in  large 
Sabbath-school  Assemblies  at  Round  Lake  and  Chau- 


138  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

tauqua;  presided  over  the  Sabbath-school  Assembly 
of  the  North-west  at  Clear  Lake,  Iowa ;  attended  the 
meetings  of  eight  of  our  Synods  and  addressed  them 
upon  the  Sabbath-school  Work  of  the  Board ;  and 
organized  and  instructed  Normal  Classes  in  several 
places  for  the  preparation  of  teachers. 

We  have  given  this  outline  of  the  labors  of  the 
Superintendent  during  the  first  year  of  his  official 
connection  with  the  Board  somewhat  in  detail,  inas- 
much as  it  is  a  fair  exhibit  of  the  diligence  and  energy 
with  which  he  prosecuted  his  work  during  each  suc- 
ceeding year  until  the  reorganization  of  the  Board  in 
1887.  The  Assembly  of  1880  bore  decided  testimony 
to  his  diligence,  which  later  Assemblies  in  substance 
repeated. 

SECRETARY   OF   SABBATH-SCHOOL   WORK. 

By  the  action  of  the  General  Assembly  of  1880,  the 
General  Superintendent  was  appointed  Secretary  of 
Sabbaih-School  Work.  This  alteration  in  the  title  and 
standing  of  the  executive  officer  necessitated  certain 
modifications  of  the  work,  which  were  accordingly 
made.  The  General  Assembly  of  1881  directed  the 
appointment  of  a  permanent  committee  of  the  Board 
to  consult  with  the  Secretary  and  aid  him  in  the  per- 
formance of  his  duties.  These  duties  were  precisely 
the  same  as  had  been  performed  by  the  General  Super- 
intendent, and  the  same  methods  were  pursued  in 
elevating,  systematizing  and  improving  the  work 
throughout  the  churches.  To  these  methods  and 
labors  the  Assembly  gave  its  hearty  approval. 


BOARD  OP   PUBLICATION.  139 

In  the  Report  to  the  General  Assembly  of  1881 
the  principles  and  plans  of  the  Board  were  given  at 
length.     These,  as  there  set  forth,  were — 

1.  More  closely  to  identify  the  Sabbath-school  with  the 
Church. 

2.  Practically  to  elevate  the  standard  of  Bible  teaching. 

3.  To  secure  thorough  reports  from  all  our  Sabbath- 
schools. 

4.  To  prevent  the  Sabbath-school  from  becoming  a  sub- 
stitute for  parental  training. 

5.  To  prevent  the  Sabbath-school  from  becoming  a  sub- 
stitute for  the  preaching  service  of  the  Church. 

6.  To  bring  all  our  Sabbath-schools  to  the  position  that 
Presbyterian  mission  work  is  best  performed  by  Presbyte- 
rian agencies,  and  that  such  agencies,  in  preference  to 
others,  should  receive  the  benevolent  contributions  of 
Presbyterian  Sabbath-schools. 

7.  To  subordinate  all  machinery,  methods  and  expedi- 
ents to  the  spiritual  life  and  work  of  our  Sabbath-schools. 

A  review  of  the  work  from  that  time  onward  until 
the  reorganization  of  the  Board  in  1887  will  show  how 
steadily  these  plans  and  principles  were  kept  in  view 
and  what  advance  was  made  in  practically  carrying 
them  out. 

IDENTITY   OF   SCHOOL   AND    CHURCH. 

From  year  to  year  there  has  been  a  steady  progress 
throughout  the  Church  in  the  recognition  of  the  prin- 
ciple that  the  Sabbath-school  is  in  fact  a  Church 
service,  and  that  it  should  be  one  with  the  Church 
in  the  persons  composing  it.  There  has  been  decided 
advance  in  the  recognition  of  the  true  principle  of  the 


140  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

government  of  the  Sabbath-school.  The  instances  are 
becoming  rare  where  the  mistaken  endeavor  is  made  to 
conduct  the  Sabbath-school  independently  o^  Church 
control.  Nearly  all  our  schools  gladly  submit  to  the 
authoritative  supervision  of  their  Sessions. 

There  has  also  been  advance  in  Presbyterial  Sabbath- 
School  Work.  Most  of  the  Presbyteries  have  Standing 
Committees  on  this  work.  Many  of  them  have  organ- 
ized their  officers  and  teachers  into  Presbyterial  Sab- 
bath-School Associations.  These  Associations  and  Com- 
mittees generally  hold  conventions  and  institutes  for 
the  instruction  of  their  Bible  teachers.  These  faithful 
officers  and  teachers  are  made  to  feel  the  sympathy 
and  help  of  the  Presbyteries.  The  work  in  the  Synods 
has  also  grown  in  the  same  proportion  as  in  the  Pres- 
byteries. This  advance  in  the  recognition  of  the 
identity  of  the  Sabbath -school  and  the  Church,  and  in 
the  co-operation  and  sympathy  of  the  Church  judica- 
tories with  our  Sabbath-school  workers,  has  been  in 
large  measure  the  result  of  the  labors  of  this  Depart- 
ment, which  has  kept  this  principle  steadily  in  view. 

STATISTICS. 

The  General  Assembly  of  1878,  repeating  the  action 
of  several  former  Assemblies,  recommended  a  thorough 
collection  of  Sabbath-school  statistics.  An  earnest 
endeavor  was  made  to  carry  out  this  recommendation. 
Statistical  blanks  were  sent  out,  and  attention  was 
called  to  them  through  the  denominational  papers. 
Keports  were  thus  obtained  during  the  year  from  thir- 
teen  hundred   schools.     From  year   to  year   special 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  141 

attention  was  given  to  this  important  subject.  As  the 
result  of  these  persistent  efforts  the  Department  now 
has  as  complete  and  accurate  a  system  of  Sabbath- 
school  statistics  as  can  be  found  in  any  Church.  They 
are  annually  published  in  the  Appendix  to  the  Minutes 
of  the  General  Assembly. 

NORMAL-CLASS  WOEK. 

From  the  outset  the  Board  pressed  upon  the  Church 
the  necessity  and  importance  of  the  more  thorough 
preparation  of  Sabbath-school  teachers.  Under  the 
auspices  of  the  Presbyteries  of  Philadelphia  and  Phil- 
adelphia Central  the  Superintendent  began  a  Normal 
Class  in  January,  1879.  The  meetings  were  held  in 
the  Assembly-Room  of  the  Board  of  Publication.  The 
class  was  largely  attended,  and  gave  an  impulse  tow^ard 
a  higher  standard  of  Bible  teaching.  During  the  next 
winter  it  excited  still  greater  interest.  The  successful 
operation  of  this  class  in  this  centre  of  influence  led 
to  the  organization  of  similar  classes  for  the  training 
of  Sabbath-school  teachers  in  many  parts  of  the 
Church.  Two  volumes,  entitled  Westminster  Normal- 
Class  Outlines,  Junior  and  Middle  Courses,  were  pre- 
pared and  published,  to  be  used  in  preparation  classes 
for  teachers.  From  year  to  year  conventions  and  in- 
stitutes were  held  in  connection  with  many  of  our 
Synods  and  Presbyteries.  Such  institutes  elevate  the 
standard  of  Bible  teaching;  they  stimulate  thought 
upon  the  subjects  included  in  their  labor ;  they  create 
fresh  enthusiasm  for  earnest  study  and  for  better  work 
in  these  lines. 


142  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

THEOLOGICAL   SEMINARIES. 

In  nearly  all  our  Theological  Seminaries  the  Secre- 
tary furnished  from  time  to  time  series  of  lectures 
concerning  the  Sabbath-school  Work,  the  Training  of 
Teachers,  Preaching  to  Children,  the  Pastor's  Position 
and  Work  in  the  Sabbath-School,  and  other  kindred 
subjects. 

THE   SCHOOL,   THE   CHURCH   AND  THE   HOME. 

The  Board  also  endeavored  to  prevent  the  Sabbath- 
school  from  becoming  a  substitute  for  the  preaching 
service  of  the  Church.  Efforts  were  organized  to 
bring  into  the  worship  of  the  sanctuary  every  scholar 
of  our  schools. 

The  statistical  blanks  sent  out  by  the  department  to 
all  our  schools  require  a  report  of  the  number  of 
scholars  habitually  attending  the  preaching  service. 
Year  by  year  effort  has  also  been  made  to  prevent  the 
Sabbath-school  from  becoming  a  substitute  for  parental 
training.  We  have  many  assurances  that  the  Sabbath- 
school  is  now  proving  an  auxiliary  to  home-training, 
providing  it  with  an  admirable  system  of  lessons  to  be 
taught  by  fathers  and  mothers,  and  that  in  thousands 
of  cases  the  Sabbath-school  lesson  exercise  is  a  recita- 
tion to  the  teacher,  and  a  review  by  him  of  what  the 
scholar  has  learned  of  the  Bible  and  Catechism  under 
parental  supervision  and  instruction  at  home. 

children's  day. 
The  General  Assembly  of  1883  designated  the  second 
Sabbath  in  June  as  "  Children's  Day,"  on  which  special 
services  for  the  children  should  be  held,  and  the  vital 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  143 

topics  of  the  Christian  nurture  and  the  conversion  of 
the  young  should  be  pressed  upon  the  thought  of  the 
entire  congregation.  The  observance  of  this  day  has 
become  very  general  throughout  our  Church,  and  has 
been  attended  with  most  excellent  practical  and  spirit- 
ual results. 

SABBATH-SCHOOL   COLLECTIONS. 

The  Assembly  of  1883  also  emphatically  declared 
that  in  its  judgment  Sabbath-schools  "  should  always 
and  especially  remember  the  Sabbath-School  Mission- 
ary Work  of  the  Board  "  in  their  contributions.  The 
Secretary  was  directed,  in  all  his  addresses  and  public 
and  private  conferences,  to  make  it  a  distinct  aim  to 
stimulate  liberality,  especially  that  of  Sabbath-schools, 
toward  the  Board's  Missionary  Fund,  and  to  have  col- 
lections of  the  churches  and  Sabbath-schools  turned 
into  its  treasury.  It  was  recommended,  with  the 
approval  of  the  Assembly,  that  special  collections 
should  be  made  for  this  object  on  Children's  Day. 
By  these  efforts  the  contributions  of  our  schools  have 
been  largely  increased. 

Thus  the  review  of  the  plans  and  operations  of  this 
Department  from  the  Eeunion  in  1870  to  the  reorgan- 
ization of  the  Board  in  1887  shows  as  the  result  a 
larger  and  more  intelligent  apprehension  of  the  Sab- 
bath-school Work,  a  deepening  interest  in  it,  and  more 
of  wise  oversight  and  effort  to  improve  its  methods  and 
appliances. 

EXAMINATION   OF  ASSETS  AND  ACCOUNTS. 

The  General  Assembly  of  1884  appointed  a  Special 


144  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

Committee,  which  was  charged  with  the  duty  of  making 
a  thorough  examination  of  the  assets  and  accounts  of 
the  Board,  with  instructions  to  employ  an  expert  ac- 
countant, to  be  paid  by  the  Board. 

This  Committee  in  the  prosecution  of  the  work  as- 
signed it  engaged  the  services  of  a  gentleman  of 
unquestioned  ability  in  his  profession.  The  work  of 
the  accountant  was  thorough,  exhaustive  and  conscien- 
tious. Many  months  were  spent  in  the  investigation, 
at  an  ex^pense  of  several  thousand  dollars.  The  final 
report  of  the  Committee  was  presented  to  the  Assembly 
of  1886.  This  report  contained  the  following  state- 
ment: 

Under  the  rigid  examination  of  our  expert  of  the  result 
of  two  years  of  work,  whilst  some  slight  inaccuracies  were 
brought  to  light  in  the  counting-room,  resulting  from  want 
of  care,  and  perhaps  too  great  a  pressure  of  other  duties 
besides  legitimate  book-keeping  on  the  part  of  the  Ac- 
countant, there  is  not  the  slightest  evidence  of  intentional 
wrong  as  far  as  the  pecuniary  affairs  of  the  Board  are 
concerned. 

The  assets  of  the  Board  are  all  in  good  condition,  and 
the  securities  and  trust  funds,  amounting  to  $92,271.86, 
safely  deposited  in  proper  hands.  In  two  instances  the 
proceeds  of  the  trust  funds  have  not  been  applied  in  the 
direction  indicated  by  the  donors. 

It  was  found  in  the  course  of  this  investigation,  as 
here  reported,  that  the  interest  accruing  from  certain 
funds  for  Bible  purposes  had  been  credited  to  the 
Missionary  Fund  and  used  for  general  missionary 
work,  instead  of  being  applied  in  accordance  with  the 
stipulations  of  the  donors.     This  error  was  corrected 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATIOX.  145 

by  the  Board  as  soon  as  it  was  discovered,  and  the 
proper  appropriation  made  of  these  bequests. 

RESIGNATION   OF   DR.   SCHENCK. 

The  Eev.  Wm.  E.  Schenck,  D.  D.,  completed  his 
thirtieth  year  of  continuous  service  as  Corresponding 
Secretary  of  the  Board,  November  1, 1884.  The  Board 
made  record  of  this  fact  by  the  adoption  of  a  minute 
expressive  of  its  high  appreciation  of  tlie  vakie  of  the 
services  rendered  by  Dr.  Schenck  during  this  long 
series  of  years,  and  "  in  order  that  he  might  be  thor- 
oughly restored  to  that  health  which  had  been  tempo- 
rarily impaired  in  its  service,  and  that  he  might  be 
built  up  for  still  longer  service  to  the  Board,  recom- 
mended him,  at  such  time  as  'might  be  most  agreeable 
to  himself,  to  take  a  vacation  of  several  months." 

Dr.  Schenck  continued  in  the  active  discharge  of 
the  duties  of  his  office  during  the  winter  and  spring  of 
1885.  For  most  of  the  summer  of  that  year  he  was 
prostrated  by  serious  illness.  He  recovered,  however, 
sufficiently  to  enable  him  to  resume  his  duties  in  Sep- 
tember, and  he  continued  to  discharge  them,  though 
laboring  under  serious  indisposition,  until  near  the  end 
of  the  year,  when  he  availed  himself  of  the  leave  of 
absence  so  cordially  extended  to  him  and  urged  upon 
him  the  preceding  year.  After  spending  some  weeks 
in  California  his  physical  condition  constrained  him 
to  send  to  the  Board  the  following  letter,  resigning  the 
office  which  he  had  so  long  held ;  which  letter  was  pre- 
sented to  the  Board  at  its  Stated  Meeting,  March  23, 
1886 : 

10 


146  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

Santa  Barbara,  California, 
February  24,  1886. 
To  the  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publicatiati  : 

It  will  be  remembered  that  at  your  last  annual  meeting 
in  June,  1885,  I  stated  that  I  had  been  seriously  consider- 
ing the  question  of  declining  a  re-election  at  that  time  on 
the  ground  of  ill-health,  but  that,  at  the  request  of  many 
of  your  members,  I  did  consent  to  re-election  for  another 
year.  I  came  to  the  Pacific  Coast  in  the  middle  of  Decem- 
ber, hoping  for  a  restoration,  in  this  warm  and  lovely 
climate,  to  my  accustomed  health.  I  am  still  hopeful  that 
this  may  be  accomplished,  but  medical  advisers  tell  me 
that  it  will  be  a  work  of  time,  and  that  if  I  return  to  the 
North  too  soon  I  may  lose  all  that  I  have  gained,  and  even 
more.  To  await  here  recovery  of  health  would  be  likely 
to  detain  me  longer  than  I  ought  to  be  absent  from  the 
duties  of  my  office,  or  than  your  kind  leave  of  absence 
would  warrant. 

On  a  review  of  the  whole  matter  I  have  decided  that 
my  increasing  years  and  precarious  health  require  me  to 
retire  from  the  w^ork  I  dearly  love,  and  in  the  prosecution 
of  which  I  have  spent  nearly  thirty-two  years  of  my  life. 
I  therefore  hereby  tender  to  the  Board  my  resignation  of 
the  office  of  Corresponding  Secretary,  this  resignation  to 
take  effect  on  the  first  day  of  May  next.  I  send  this  paper 
at  the  earliest  practicable  moment,  so  as  to  give  time  for 
consideration  as  to  what  you  may  desire  to  do  in  reference 
to  the  appointment  of  a  successor. 

I  need  hardly  say  that  it  has  cost  me  many  and  severe 
struggles  to  reach  the  above  decision.  I  have  dearly  loved 
the  work  in  which  I  have  been  engaged,  and  have  never 
been  so  profoundly  impressed  with  its  importance,  neces- 
sity and  value  as  now,  since  I  have  been  seeing  the 
unspeakable  need  of  it  in  New  Mexico,  Arizona  and 
California. 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  147 

When  I  became  Corresponding  Secretary  of  the  Board, 
in  1854,  it  was  comparatively  an  acorn.  It  has  since 
become  a  mighty  oak.  In  property,  in  the  number  of  its 
publications,  in  widespread,  potent  and  beneficent  influ- 
ences, it  has  many  times  doubled  its  resources.  That  our 
divine  Lord  and  Master  may  watch  over  it  and  bless  it 
more  and  more,  and  use  it  through  coming  centuries  for 
the  advancement  of  his  own  kingdom  and  glory,  is  and 
shall  lifelong  be  my  earnest  prayer. 

Most  truly  and  fraternally  yours, 

W.   E.   SCHENCK. 

A  series  of  resolutions  expressive  of  the  feelings  of 
the  Board  in  view  of  the  resignation  of  Dr.  Schenck, 
and  also  proposing  important  changes  in  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  Board,  was  presented,  and  after  considera- 
tion referred  to  a  Committee  of  seven,  with  instructions 
"  to  consider  whether  any,  and  if  any  what,  changes 
should  be  made  in  the  oflficering  of  the  Board  and  its 
By-laws,  in  view  of  Dr.  Schenck's  resignation,  and  to 
recommend  such  changes  as  it  might  deem  desirable.'' 

This  Committee  presented  its  report  at  the  next 
monthly  meeting  of  the  Board,  April  27,  1886,  as 
follows : 

Your  Committee,  appointed  at  the  last  meeting  of  the 
Board  to  consider  the  matters  involved  in  the  resolutions 
which  were  then  offered,  in  view  of  the  resignation  of  his 
office  tendered  by  Eev.  William  E.  Schenck,  D.  D.,  the 
Corresponding  Secretary,  have  given  careful  attention  to 
the  subject  entrusted  to  them,  and  now  report  as  follows: 

1.  That  they  are  of  opinion  that  proper  regard  for  the 
health  of  Dr.  Schenck  makes  it  desirable  to  accept  his 
resignation  without  unnecessary  delay,  in  order  that  he 


148  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

may  be  relieved  of  the  care  and  anxiety  which  necessarily 
wear  upon  him  so  long  as  he  is,  in  any  manner,  responsible 
for  the  discharge  of  official  duties. 

2.  In  the  event  of  the  resignation  of  the  Corresponding 
Secretary  being  accepted,  your  Committee  are  of  the 
opinion  that  a  very  serious  question  arises  with  reference 
to  the  future  interests  and  prosperity  of  the  Board. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  go  into  any  details  for  the  purpose 
of  demonstrating  that  there  have  been  in  the  past  certain 
frictions  and  diversities  of  interest  in  different  departments 
of  our  work  which  have  interfered  with  the  most  efficient 
and  successful  administration  of  this  branch  of  the  organ- 
ized effort  of  our  Church. 

Instead  of  there  being  one  scheme,  harmoniously  and 
smoothly  developed  along  several  lines,  there  have  too 
often  been  divergent  and  discordant  enterprises,  advocated 
and  urged,  one  against  the  other,  as  warmly  and  earnestly 
as  if  the  different  branches  of  the  work  of  the  Board  be- 
longed to  distinct  and  rival  organizations,  instead  of  being, 
as  they  are  and  ought  to  be  more  completely,  but  separate 
arms  and  forces  of  one  organism.  We  fear  that  too  much 
has  been  lost  already,  in  respect  of  unity,  symmetry  and 
efficiency,  in  this  line  of  benevolence  and  activity.  We 
believe  that  no  change  would  contribute  more  to  the  pros- 
perity of  the  Board,  and  to  the  growth  of  an  intelligent 
and  permanent  confidence  on  the  part  of  the  Church  in 
its  management,  than  such  a  reorganization  among  its 
executive  officers  as  would  give  to  one  earnest,  judicious 
man  the  supremacy  in  all  matters  of  administration  and 
in  all  departments,  subject,  of  course,  to  the  direction  of 
the  Board. 

In  case  of  a  vacancy  in  the  office  of  Corresponding 
Secretary,  an  opportunity  is  presented  for  making  such  a 
change. 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  149 

The  Committee  are  of  the  opinion  that  there  should  be 
but  one  Secretary  of  the  Board,  and  that  he  should  be 
ultimate  authority  among  the  executive  officers  or  agents 
of  the  Board,  in  all  its  departments  or  branches  of  work — 
editorial,  missionary,  Sabbath-school  and  business.  His 
duties  should  be  supervisory — to  such  an  extent,  at  the  least, 
as  would  enable  him  to  bring  all  these  branches  of  effort 
into  harmonious  relations  with  each  other,  and  to  keep 
them  so. 

The  name  of  this  officer  should  be  indicative  of  his 
position — as,  for  example.  General  or  Managing  Secretary. 

The  editorial,  Sabbath-school  and  business  departments 
should  each  have  its  superintendent,  who  should  attend  to 
the  details  of  the  respective  departments,  under  the  gen- 
eral direction  of  the  Secretary,  who  should  also  take  such 
a  share  in  the  active  labor  of  the  missionary  and  editorial 
branches  as  he  may  be  able  to  do.  Some  of  the  details  of 
the  missionary  work  might,  we  think,  be  united  with  that 
of  the  officer  in  charge  of  the  Sabbath-school  Work. 

It  may  be  suggested  that  a  practical  difficulty  in  such  a 
scheme  of  reorganization  presents  itself  in  the  fact  that 
there  is  now  a  Secretary  of  Sabbath-school  Work. 

The  Committee  would  not,  however,  consider  this  diffi- 
culty insurmountable.  The  name  could  be  allowed  to 
remain  as  it  is  for  the  time  being.  As  it  was  imposed  by 
the  action  of  the  General  Assembly,  it  would  not  be  com- 
petent for  this  Board,  in  any  event,  to  do  more  than 
recommend  a  return  to  the  old  name.  We  would  not, 
however,  desire  to  do  anything  which  might  seem  dis- 
courteous to  the  Secretary  of  that  department,  and  there- 
fore we  would  simply  recommend  such  changes  in  the 
nature  of  his  duties,  or  of  his  relation  to  them,  as  would 
bring  his  department  into  subordination  to,  and  harmony 
with,  the  general  system  which  we  have  in  mind. 


150  BOARD   OF    PUBLICATION. 

These  statements,  we  think,  will  be  sufficient  to  inform 
the  Board  of  the  line  of  thought  and  purpose  which 
influences  the  Committee  in  recommending  the  adoption 
of  the  resolutions  which  will  hereafter  appear. 

3.  Whether  such  a  reorganization  as  we  have  previously- 
referred  to  should  be  made,  or  the  Board  continue  its  work 
substantially  according  to  its  present  methods,  your  Com- 
mittee recognize  the  importance  of  a  wise  selection  of  the 
successor  to  Rev.  Dr.  Schenck. 

One  of  the  resolutions  which  were  referred  to  this  Com- 
mittee presents  the  name  of  the  present  Editorial  Secretary, 
Eev.  Dr.  Dulles,  in  this  connection,  and  it  became  neces- 
sary, therefore,  for  us  to  take  the  subject  into  considera- 
tion. 

We  have  endeavored  to  look  at  it  entirely  apart  from 
any  personal  feelings  of  kindness  for  the  person  named, 
as  well  as  from  any  impression  that  he  has  any  sort  of 
right  of  succession. 

To  some  of  us  the  suggestion  embodied  in  the  resolution, 
equally  with  the  introduction  of  the  principal  subject- 
matter  of  the  resolutions,  was  a  surprise. 

On  reflection,  however,  we  are  fully  satisfied  that,  taking 
every  interest  of  the  Board  into  consideration,  it  would  be 
a  wise  action  to  elect  Dr.  Dulles  as  Secretary,  to  take  the 
duties  of  the  Corresponding  Secretary  under  such  a  distri- 
bution of  labor  as  the  Board  may  direct. 

We  think  he  has  superior  qualifications  for  present 
needs.  His  intimate  knowledge  of  the  history  and  work 
of  the  Board,  his  tact  and  afiability  in  dealing  with  men, 
his  industry  and  power  of  organization,  together  with  his 
long  experience,  fit  him,  in  our  judgment,  eminently  for 
the  position.  His  modesty  and  indisposition  to  push  his 
own  interests  are  not  elements  of  weakness. 

If  in  any  essential  respect  he  is  lacking,  it  is  in  a  point 


BOARD    OF    PUBLICATION.  151 

where  physical,  and  not  mental  or  moral,  infirmity  is  the 
cause.  In  this  respect,  we  think,  the  demands  in  the 
interest  of  the  Board  are  by  no  means  so  important  as  in 
others  as  to  which  we  regard  Dr.  Dulles  peculiarly  strong. 

We  know  of  no  man  who  could  be  entrusted  with  the 
charge  of  affairs  at  this  time  who  would  more  thoroughly 
have  the  confidence  of  the  Board  and  the  Church  than  he. 
We  would,  therefore,  cordially  recommend  his  election. 

Your  Committee  are  not  now  prepared  to  report  the 
changes  which  ought  to  be  made  in  the  By-Laws  of  the 
Board,  in  case  the  general  scheme  now  recommended 
should  be  adopted.  These  ought  to  be  prepared  with 
deliberation  and  care,  and  it  is  obvious  that  the  form 
which  they  should  take  will  depend  upon  the  manner  in 
which  it  shall  be  determined  that  the  work  of  the  Board 
shall  hereafter  be  conducted.  The  Committee  therefore 
withholds  any  report  upon  that  subject. 

For  the  purpose  of  carrying  out  the  views  which  have 
been  hereinbefore  stated  the  Committee  recommend  the 
adoption  of  the  first  and  second  of  the  resolutions  offered 
by  Rev.  Dr.  Mutchmore  at  the  last  meeting  of  the  Board, 
and,  in  view  of  the  report  now  made,  that  the  third  and 
fourth  of  those  resolutions  be  not  adopted. 

They  also  recommend  the  adoption  of  the  following 
resolutions — viz. : 

1.  That  in  the  judgment  of  this  Board,  in  view  of  the 
resignation  of  Rev.  Dr.  Schenck  as  Corresponding  Secre- 
tary, it  is  desirable,  in  the  interest  of  the  work  committed 
to  the  care  of  the  Board,  to  elect  a  General  Secretary  who 
shall  have  supervision  and  direction,  subject  to  the  control 
of  the  Board,  over  all  departments  of  its  work,  and  to 
whom  all  the  other  administrative  officers  shall  be  sub- 
ordinate. 

2.  That  the  work  of  the  Board  shall  be  so  reorganized 


152  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

as  to  do  away  with  the  offices  of  Corresponding  and 
Editorial  Secretaries,  and  to  distribute  the  duties  which 
have  belonged  heretofore  to  these  two  offices  aniong  the 
officers  who  shall  remain  after  such  reorganization. 

3.  That  in  the  opinion  of  the  Board  it  will  be  for  the 
best  interests  of  this  Board  to  elect  Rev.  Dr.  Dulles,  the 
present  Editorial  Secretary,  as  General  Secretary. 

4.  That  this  Committee  be  continued,  for  the  purpose 
of  considering  and  recommending  such  changes  in  the 
By-Laws  and  in  the  organization  and  distribution  of  the 
work  of  the  Board,  and  in  any  matters  cognate  thereto,  as 
may  be  desirable  in  view  of  the  action  of  the  Board  upon 
the  preceding  resolutions. 

This  report  was  approved,  and  its  recommendations 
were  adopted.  The  resolutions  with  regard  to  the  resig- 
nation of  Dr.  Schenck  were  as  follows : 

Resolved,  1.  That,  deeply  regretting  the  occasion  and 
necessity  of  this  resignation,  which  will  deprive  the  Board 
of  the  service  of  a  most  faithful  and  devoted  officer,  yet, 
regarding  the  positive  and  unqualified  wish  of  Dr.  Schenck, 
and  in  the  hope  that  release  from  all  care  will  restore  his 
health,  we  feel  compelled  to  meet  his  desires  and  accept 
his  resignation,  with  the  understanding  that  his  salary 
shall  be  continued  to  June  1,  1886. 

Resolved,  2.  That  a  committee  be  appointed  to  draft  and 
present  to  the  Board  a  suitable  testimony  of  the  respect 
and  regret  of  the  Board. 

The  Committee  of  seven,  by  direction  of  the  Board, 
presented  the  Minute  provided  for  in  the  second  resolu- 
tion, which  was  adopted  by  a  rising  vote,  May  6, 1886, 
as  follows : 

Resolved,  That,   in   accepting   the    resignation  of  Dr. 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  153 

Schenck  as  Corresponding  Secretary  of  the  Board,  we 
desire  to  record  our  high  appreciation  of  his  zeal,  fidelity 
and  service  during  the  many  years  he  has  occupied  this 
office.  First,  as  the  Executive  Officer  of  the  Board  be- 
longing to  one  of  the  branches  of  the  United  Church,  and 
since  the  Reunion  the  Executive  Officer  of  the  Consoli- 
dated Board,  covering  in  all  the  term  of  thirty-two  years, 
Dr.  Schenck  has  labored  with  commendable  zeal  to  pro- 
mote the  interests  of  this  Board,  and  through  its  publica- 
tions and  Missionary  Work  to  promote  the  cause  of  Christ 
as  it  is  entrusted  to  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

By  constant  devotion,  and  with  a  desire  to  do  whatever 
was  right,  and  whatever  promoted  efficiency  and  success 
for  the  work  committed  to  his  trust.  Dr.  Schenck  gave  his 
best  efforts  and  the  strength  of  his  best  years  to  this 
Board.  And.  although  it  is  our  regret  and  the  regret  of 
the  Church  that  incessant  anxiety  has  undermined  his 
health,  and  has  compelled  him  to  lay  down  his  work,  yet 
we  rejoice  in  the  fruits  of  his  service  and  congratulate 
him  on  retiring  that  he  has  done  a  work  that  honors  him, 
and  he  will  be  held  in  the  abiding  esteem  of  his  associates, 
and  of  the  Church  that  he  so  long  and  so  devotedly  served. 

The  Kev.  Dr.  Dulles  was  appointed  to  discbarge  the 
duties  of  the  Corresponding  Secretary  until  the  reor- 
ganization of  the  work  of  the  Board  should  be  effected 
under  the  resolutions  adopted. 

The  Committee  of  seven  reported  to  the  Board  at 
its  meeting  in  September,  1886,  such  changes  in  the 
By-laws  as  it  judged  necessary  for  the  reorganization 
of  the  Board  and  the  distribution  of  its  w^ork  accord- 
ing to  the  plan  adopted  at  the  April  meeting.  Afler 
prolonged  discussion  the  Eeport  of  the  Committee  was 
finally  adopted,  January  18, 1887.    Under  the  amended 


154  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

By-laws  the  Rev.  John  W.  Dulles,  D.  D.,  was  elected 
General  Secretary,  and  the  Rev.  J.  R.  Miller,  D.  D., 
Editor. 

DEATH    OF    DR.    DULLES. 

Dr.  Dulles,  however,  never  entered  upon  the  new 
responsibilities  laid  upon  him.  At  the  time  of  his 
election  he  was  seriously  ill.     He  died  April  13,  1887. 

The  Board  met  the  next  day.  Mr.  Samuel  C. 
Perkins,  Rev.  Charles  A.  Dickey,  D.  D.  and  Rev. 
William  Brenton  Greene,  Jr.,  were  appointed  a  Com- 
mittee to  prepare  resolutions  in  regard  to  the  death  of 
Dr.  Dulles.  The  Committee  reported  the  following, 
which  were  unanimously  adopted : 

Resolved,  That  this  Board  has  heard  with  deep  grief  and 
unfeigned  sorrow  of  the  death  of  the  Rev.  John  W. 
Dulles,  D.  D,,  its  General  Secretary,  who  had  been  identi- 
fied with  the  Publication  Work  of  the  Presbyterian  Church 
for  so  many  years,  and  had  won  the  esteem,  respect  and 
affection  of  all  who  had  been  associated  with  him. 

Resolved,  That  the  book-store  of  the  Board  be  closed  on 
the  afternoon  of  the  funeral,  after  two  o'clock,  and  that 
the  members  of  the  Board,  its  officers  and  employes 
attend  the  funeral  services  in  a  body. 

Resolved,  That  the  Business  Committee  be  authorized  to 
make  all  necessary  arrangements. 

Resolved,  That  this  Committee  be  continued,  with  in- 
structions to  prepare  a  suitable  Minute  to  be  entered  on 
the  records  expressive  of  the  feelings  of  the  Board  in  view 
of  the  great  loss  which  it  has  sustained. 

The  Committee  reported  the  following  Minute  to 
the  Board  at  its  Stated  Meeting,  April  26, 1887,  and  it 
was  unanimously  adopted : 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  *  155 

The  Committee  to  whom  was  referred  the  preparation 
of  a  Minute  to  be  entered  on  the  Records  of  the  Board  in 
memory  of  the  late  General  Secretary,  Rev.  John  W. 
Dulles,  D.  D.,  respectfully  submit  the  following : 

John  Welsh  Dulles,  born  in  Philadelphia  November  4, 
1823,  was  the  son  of  Joseph  H.  and  Margaret  (Welsh) 
Dulles.  His  father  graduated  at  Yale  in  1814,  and  was 
for  many  years  a  leading  merchant  in  Philadelphia,  a 
member  of  the  Fifth  Presbyterian  Church,  and  for  twenty- 
two  years,  from  1831  till  1853,  when  he  left  to  take  part  in 
the  formation  of  Calvary  Church,  a  member  of  the  First 
Church  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Albert  Barnes. 

Dr.  Dulles  was  prepared  for  college  at  the  academy  of 
Rev.  Samuel  W.  Crawford,  in  Philadelphia,  and  entered 
Yale  in  the  spring  of  1841  about  the  middle  of  Freshman 
year.  He  graduated  with  high  honor  in  1844  in  a  class  of 
104,  a  number  unusually  large  for  that  period.  June  4, 
1843,  he  united  with  the  College  Church  upon  profession 
of  his  faith,  and  was  dismissed  April  6,  1845,  to  Clinton 
Street  Presbyterian  Church,  Philadelphia.  As  a  student 
he  was  "  beloved,  trusted  and  respected  by  his  fellows ;" 
marked  for  his  "gentleness  of  disposition  and  uniform 
gentlemanly  and  frank  deportment."  The  sincerity  and 
earnestness  of  his  Christian  character  impressed  his  fellow- 
students,  and,  being  of  an  even  and  kindly  temperament, 
the  influence  of  his  example  and  conversation  was  always 
good. 

After  graduation  he  entered  upon  and  completed  the 
theological  course  at  Union  Theological  Seminary,  New 
York,  and  during  his  vacation  was  engaged  in  colportage 
under  the  American  Tract  Society.  He  had  in  1845  studied 
medicine  for  a  short  time  with  a  view  of  being  the  more 
completely  furnished  for  the  foreign  missionary  work 
which  he  had  in  view  from  a  very  early  period  after  he 
made  an  open  profession  of  religion. 


156  •  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

After  graduating  at  the  Theological  Seminary,  and  being 
licensed  and  ordained,  he  sailed  in  the  fall  of  1848  for 
Southern  India  as  a  missionary  of  the  American  Board  of 
Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions,  but  was  obliged, 
owing  to  the  failure  of  his  health,  to  give  up  his  cherished 
hopes  of  labor  for  the  Master  in  this  direction,  and  re- 
turned to  this  country  in  1852. 

He  entered  the  service  of  the  American  Sunday-School 
Union  (of  which  his  father  was  one  of  the  founders) 
November  1,  1853,  as  Secretary  of  Missions,  and  resigned 
November  1,  1856,  to  accept  the  office  of  "  Secretary  and 
Editor  of  the  Committee's  Publications  "  of  the  Presbyte- 
rian Publication  Committee,  and  from  that  time  to  the  day 
of  his  death  his  labors  were  devoted  to  the  cause  of  pub- 
lication in  the  Presbyterian  Church ;  for  after  the  Reunion 
of  the  two  branches  he  was  elected,  June  14, 1870,  Editor- 
ial Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Publication  of  the  reunited 
Church.  After  the  resignation  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Schenck 
as  Corresponding  Secretary  in  1885,  Dr.  Dulles  attended 
to  the  duties  of  both  secretaryships,  until  in  January  last 
he  was  elected  to  the  newly- established  office  of  General 
Secretary. 

In  1854  he  wrote  Life  in  India,  a  small  work  for  Sabbath- 
schools,  which  was  published  by  the  American  Sunday- 
School  Union,  and  which  has  had  a  sale  of  11,000  copies. 

In  1880,  after  returning  from  a  trip  to  Palestine  and  the 
East  during  a  vacation  which  had  been  granted  him  by 
this  Board  in  view  of  his  long  and  earnest  labors  in  the 
cause,  he  wrote  The  Ride  Through  Palestine,  the  copyright 
of  which  he  presented  to  the  Board,  and  which  was  pub- 
lished by  it,  and  of  which  3400  copies  have  been  sold. 

His  constant  and  varied  contributions  to  the  religious 
periodicals  of  the  organizations  with  which  he  had  been 
connected,  as  well  as  to  others,  would,  if  collected,  amount 
to  many  volumes.     He  took  a  deep  interest  and  an  active 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  157 

part  in  the  management  of  the  Bible  Society  and  Coloni- 
zation Society  of  Pennsylvania. 

While  he  preached  occasionally  and  with  acceptance 
when  called  upon,  his  voice  was  not  equal  to  the  strain  of 
continuous  effort;  but  as  superintendent  for  twenty-nine 
years  of  the  Sabbath-school  of  the  Walnut  Street  Presby- 
terian Church,  Philadelphia,  and  as  a  faithful  attendant 
upon  the  church  services  and  active  in  their  maintenance 
and  support,  he  filled  a  sphere  of  usefulness  which,  in 
connection  with  the  discharge  of  the  duties  of  his  official 
stations,  may  well  be  considered  as  rounding  out  the  full 
measure  of  what  might  have  been  his  work  in  an  active 
ministry. 

It  is  fitting  that  upon  the  records  of  this  Board,  in  whose 
service  (including  the  years  in  the  employ  of  one  of  its 
immediate  predecessors)  Dr.  Dulles  has  been  so  prominent 
during  thirty-one  consecutive  years,  should  be  entered  a 
brief  notice  of  the  events  of  his  life. 

But  more  than  this  should  appear,  though  words  must 
ever  fail  fully  to  express  even  the  appreciation  of  his 
associates,  much  less  the  true  worth  of  a  man  of  such 
a  character  as  we  all  recognized  in  Dr.  Dulles.  The  testi- 
mony of  his  classmates  and  associates  in  college  life, 
borne  after  the  lapse  of  forty  years  and  upward,  shows  the 
kindling  and  steady,  clear,  and  bright  illumination  in  his 
soul  of  the  power  of  the  gospel.  And  his  subsequent  life, 
as  all  who  have  known  him  can  bear  abundant  witness, 
has  but  intensified  that  illuminative  influence  with  a 
clearer,  steadier,  whiter  and  purer  glow,  shining  "more 
and  more  unto  the  perfect  day,"  into  which  his  soul 
entered  when  it  took  its  flight  in  peaceful  hope  from  the 
pale  and  worn  and  suffering  and  wearied  body  in  the  early 
morning  of  the  Wednesday  barely  two  weeks  since,  April 
13,  1887. 

Can   we  not  all  from  our  very  hearts  assent  without 


158  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

qualification  to  tlie  application  to  Dr.  Dulles  of  the  worda 
of  the  apostle  in  describing  the  "  wisdom  that  is  from 
above,"  and  sincerely  say  of  him  who  not  only  professed, 
but  strove  to  show  forth  in  all  his  life,  that  "wisdom," 
that  he  was  "first  pure,  then  peaceable,  gentle  and  easy  to 
be  entreated,  full  of  mercy  and  good  fruits,  without  par- 
tiality and  without  hypocrisy  "  ? 

Among  the  strongest  and  weightiest  evidences  to  the 
worth  and  loveliness  and  gentleness  of  our  late  Secretary 
are  the  manifestations  of  sorrow  at  his  loss  and  respect  to 
his  memory  on  the  part  of  the  employes  of  this  Board. 
To  every  one  he  was  personally  known ;  and  as  he  went  in 
and  out  before  them  from  day  to  day  in  his  comings  and 
goings  through  these  long  years,  there  is  not  one  that  does 
not  recall,  with  a  lighting  up  of  countenance  at  the  recol- 
lection, his  cheery,  warm,  sincere  greeting,  always  accom- 
panied with  a  serene,  unruffled  expression  and  a  gentle 
smile.  His  fellow-secretaries,  the  business  superintendent, 
the  treasurer,  the  porter,  the  engineer,  the  ladies  in  the 
store,  the  packers,  the  clerks,  the  boys — every  one  with 
whom  he  came  in  contact,  no  matter  how  huihble  the 
position — knew  the  transparency,  the  sincerity,  the  gentle- 
ness, the  benignity,  of  his  character.  And  their  feeling 
was  openly  manifest  in  the  attendance  of  all,  without  ex- 
ception, upon  the  funeral  services. 

The  members  of  this  Board  individually  and  as  a  body 
can  no  less,  however,  express  their  sorrow  at  the  loss  of 
one  whose  work  for  these  many  years  has  been  subject  to 
their  ultimate  control  and  direction,  and  yet  who  has  so 
often  by  his  judicious  counsels  led  them  to  the  adoption 
of  wise  measures  for  the  advancement  of  its  interests. 
The  same  amiable  qualities  which  have  been  already  re- 
ferred to  characterized  all  his  intercourse,  bearing,  conduct 
and  demeanor  whenever  he  appeared  in  the  Board  itself 
or  in  any  of  its  committees,  or  when  he  had  occasion  to 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  159 

confer  with  individual  members  upon  matters  which  by 
either  seemed  to  be  of  importance  to  its  interests. 

It  would,  however,  be  unjust  to  Dr.  Dulles  if  this  record 
were  to  be  left  to  transfer  to  those  who  may  hereafter  read 
it  the  impression  that  his  character  was  forceless  or  marked 
only  by  a  gentle  amiability.  He  had  the  force  and  cour- 
age of  his  convictions ;  not  obstinacy,  not  perverseness, 
but  an  innate  integrity  of  purpose  founded  upon  truth  as 
apprehended  with  all  gentleness  toward  those  who  held 
contrary  views.  For  the  truth  as  he  held  it  after  careful 
and  conscientious  and  intelligent  thought  he  stood  firm, 
and  would  have  stood  firm  under  the  fiercest  trials  of 
martyrdom.  In  this  Board  he  most  beautifully  and  con- 
sistently showed  forth  the  harmonies — and  may  it  not  be 
said  the  Christ-like  consistencies? — of  gentleness  and  lov- 
ableness  of  feeling  toward  the  individual,  with  the  sternest 
and  most  inflexible  adherence  to  righteousness  of  thought 
and  principle  and  conduct. 

Some  of  us  had  known  Dr.  Dulles  personally  for  nearly 
half  a  century,  and,  as  connected  with  the  Publication 
Cause  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  for  nearly  the  whole 
of  the  thirty-one  consecutive  years  during  which  he  had 
held  office  in  its  Committee  and  Board.  No  expression  or 
even  a  shadow  of  intimation  of  bitterness  from  Dr.  Dulles, 
it  can  confidently  be  asserted,  does  or  can  memory  bring  up 
toward  those  who  diifered  from  him,  even  when  the  points 
of  difference  involved  important  questions  of  policy,  some 
of  which  might  affect  his  own  personal  relations  to  the 
Board.  Ever  calm,  gentle,  unselfish,  with  an  eye  single  to 
what  he  believed  to  be  right  in  view  of  his  responsibility 
to  the  constraining  love  of  Christ,  he  was  earnest,  firm, 
clear  and  decided  in  his  views,  and,  unaffected  by  the  pre- 
vailing result,  pursued  the  even  tenor  of  his  way  in  the 
path  of  his  allotted  sphere  with  the  same  conscientious, 
industrious  and  faithful  attention  to  its  duties  as  if  not 


160  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

even  a  zephyr's  breath  had  appeared  to  ruflfie  the  calm 
repose  of  his  faith  and  trust  in  the  divine  oversight  and 
guidance  in  all  human  affairs,  whether  of  Nations  and 
Peoples,  Organizations  Secular  or  Ecclesiastical,  or  of 
Individuals. 

This  Board  mourns  sincerely  his  loss,  which  occurred 
when  he  was  just  on  the  verge  of  what  it  hoped  would  be 
the  commencement  of  a  new  era  of  prosperity  and  advance- 
ment in  the  line  of  its  special  department  of  the  work  of 
the  Church.  We  record  this  as  our  unfeigned  and  hearty 
testimony  to  the  worth  of  Rev.  John  W.  Dulles,  D.  D., 
the  late  General  Secretary  of  the  Board,  as  a  man,  a 
Christian,  and  a  faithful  servant  in  all  the  fields  wherein 
he  was  called  to  labor. 

The  Board  is  respectfully  asked  to  have  this  Minute 
entered  upon  its  records,  printed  with  the  Annual  Eeport 
to  the  General  Assembly,  and  a  copy  sent  to  the  family  of 
Dr.  Dulles. 

Samuel  C.  Perkins, 
Charles  A.  Dickey, 
Wm.  Brenton  Greene,  Jr., 

April  26,  1887.  Committee. 

ELECTION   OF   REV.    E.    R.    CRAVEN,    D.  D. 

The  Board  at  its  meeting  May  10,  1887,  unani- 
mously elected  the  Kev.  Elijah  K.  Craven,  D.  D., 
General  Secretary,  to  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  the 
death  of  Dr.  Dulles.  Dr.  Craven's  acceptance  of  the 
oflice  was  presented  to  the  Board  June  21,  1887. 

ACTION   OF   GENERAL   ASSEMBLY    OF    1886. 

The  Standing  Committee  of  the  General  Assembly 
of  1886  on  the  Board   of  Publication  presented  an 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  161 

elaborate  Report,  which  was  adopted  with  great  unan- 
imity by  that  body.  After  a  full  and  commendatory 
notice  of  the  Missionary,  Sabbath-school  and  Business 
Work  of  the  Board  during  the  year  under  review,  it 
reported  for  the  consideration  of  the  Assembly  the 
subject  of  the  reorganization  of  the  Board,  together 
with  the  causes  which  seemed  to  make  such  a  reorgan- 
ization advisable : 

We  cannot  close  this  Report  without  adverting  to  the 
difficulties  which  have  heretofore  existed  between  the  two 
departments  of  the  Board,  and  which  appear  to  be  in- 
herent. 

The  Business  Department  naturally  desires  to  make  as 
good  a  showing  of  its  work  as  possible,  and  the  Missionary 
Department  to  exhibit  a  thorough  systematic  distribution 
of  our  literature  through  their  colporteurs.  The  methods 
of  one  of  these  are  those  of  business,  and  the  other  those 
of  benevolence. 

The  General  Assembly  in  its  deliverances  has  repeatedly 
insisted  upon  as  wide  a  separation  as  possible  between 
these  two  departments  of  the  Board,  and  this  feeling  has 
been  expressed  by  this  Assembly  in  its  action  on  the  report 
of  the  Special  Committee  appointed  in  1884.  The  officers 
and  some  of  the  members  of  the  Board  have  informed  the 
Committee  that  the  separation  between  the  two  is  as 
distinct  as  can  be  made. 

Your  Committee  have  considered  that  perhaps  to 
separate  the  two  departments  absolutely,  and  to  put  the 
Sunday-school  and  colportage  work  under  the  immediate 
supervision  of  one  head,  and  to  organize  the  Publication 
Department  as  a  business  enterprise  under  another, 
dividing  and  reorganizing  the  Board  as  the  case  might 
11 


162  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION. 

require,  would  be  desirable.  The  separation  of  benevo- 
lence from  business  would  give  each  an  ample  sphere  for 
the  most  active  endeavor  without  encroaching  upon  the 
sphere  of  the  other.  It  would  remove  the  seeming  objec- 
tion of  the  Church  at  large  to  contributing  to  a  business 
enterprise,  as  the  Business  Department  is  now,  and  would 
be,  self-sustaining,  and  the  contributions  would  thus  be 
solicited  for  a  purely  benevolent  Board.  The  change 
would  not  increase  the  objects  of  benevolence  on  the  con- 
tribution-roll of  the  Church,  as  the  contributions  which 
go  to  the  Missionary  Department  of  the  Board  of  Publi- 
cation would  be  made  direct  to  the  Board  of  Sunday-School 
and  Colportage  Work. 

It  is  impossible  for  the  Committee  in  the  short  time 
allotted  to  it  to  investigate  intelligently  and  report  on  all 
these  questions.  We  need  more  light  on  the  subject,  but 
we  recognize  that  some  change  in  the  management  of  this 
work  is  necessary.  The  great  respect  for  and  confidence 
in  the  Board  which  we  have  suggests  that  the  difficulty  is 
organic  or  it  would  have  been  removed  before  this.  It  is 
possible  that  such  a  separation  cannot,  and  ought  not,  to 
be  made,  but  your  Committee  think  it  would  be  a  wise 
action  for  the  Assembly  to  appoint  a  Special  Committee 
of  its  most  experienced  and  wisest  ministers  and  elders  to 
investigate  this  question  thoroughly  and  report  at  the 
next  Assembly. 

In  concluding  this  report,  your  Committee  recommend 
the  following  resolutions  and  suggestions  for  action  of 
this  General  Assembly : 

1.  That  the  Board  of  Publication  deserves  the  thanks 
and  commendation  of  the  General  Assembly  for  its  fidelity 
to  the  trust  committed  to  it. 

2.  We  express  our  heartfelt  appreciation  of  the  long- 
continued  and  faithful  services  of  the  Kev.  Dr.  Schenck, 


BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION.  163 

Corresponding  Secretary  of  this  Board,  and  regret  exceed- 
ingly that  his  declining  years  and  physical  infirmities 
should  have  compelled  him,  from  a  sense  of  duty,  to  resign 
the  trust  which  he  has  so  long  and  so  efficiently  held.  We 
assure  him  of  our  sincere  sympathy  in  his  afflictions,  and 
earnestly  pray  that  his  health  may  be  speedily  restored. 

11.  The  Moderator  is  hereby  authorized  to  appoint  a 
Special  Committee,  consisting  of  four  ministers  and  four 
elders,  who  shall  take  into  consideration  the  expediency, 
feasibility  and  legality  of  reorganizing  this  work  by  sep- 
arating absolutely  the  Sabbath-school  work  and  colportage 
work,  or  Missionary  Department,  from  the  editorial  and 
publishing  work,  or  Business  Department,  of  the  Board, 
and,  if  such  is  found  to  be  expedient,  feasible  and  legal, 
to  report  a  plan  of  such  separation,  and,  if  not  so  found, 
to  ascertain  what  steps  are  necessary  to  put  the  work  of 
this  Board  on  a  permanent  and  harmonious  basis,  and  to 
report  their  recommendations,  together  with  the  reasons 
therefor,  to  the  next  General  Assembly. 

The  following-named  gentlemen  were  appointed  as 
the  Special  Committee:  Ruling  Elder,  George  H. 
Shields,  Chairman ;  Ministers,  John  Hall,  D.  D.,  George 
P.  Hays,  D.D.,  E.  R.  Oaven,  D.  D.,  Edward  C. 
Ray ;  Ruling  Elders,  Frank  L.  Sheppard,  William  M. 
Tenney,  Hon.  John  Trunkey. 


IV. 


PRESBYTERIAN  BOARD  OF  PDBLICATION 
AND  SABBATH-SCHOOL  WORK. 

1887—1889. 


BOARD  OF  PUBLICATION  AND  SABBATH- 
SCHOOL  WORK. 


The  Special  Committee  appointed  by  the  General 
Assembly  of  1886  gave  diligent  and  prolonged  exami- 
nation to  the  matters  submitted  for  its  consideration, 
availing  itself  of  every  possible  means  of  information. 
The  Report  was  presented  to  the  Assembly  of  1887, 
and  unanimously  adopted  May  21,  1887.  Seldom  has 
the  Assembly  taken  so  important  action  with  such 
entire  unanimity.  The  Report  has  great  historic 
value,  and,  notwithstanding  its  length,  we  give  it 
in  full: 

REPORT  OF  THE   SPECIAL  COMMITTEE. 

AUTHORITY   OF   COMMITTEE. 

Your  Special  Committee,  consisting  of  four  ministers 
and  four  elders,  which  was  appointed  by  the  Moderator  of 
the  last  General  Assembly  to  consider  matters  connected 
with  the  Board  of  Publication  under  the  following  resolu- 
tion— to  wit :  "  The  Moderator  is  hereby  authorized  to 
appoint  a  Special  Committee,  consisting  of  four  ministers 
and  four  elders,  who  shall  take  into  consideration  the 
expediency,  feasibility  and  legality  of  reorganizing  this 
work  by  separating  absolutely  the  Sabbatli-school  work 
and  colportage  work,  or  Missionary  Department,  from  the 

167 


168  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION 

editorial  and  publishing  work,  or  Business  Department,  of 
the  Board,  and,  if  such  is  found  to  be  expedient,  feasible 
and  legal,  to  report  a  plan  of  such  separation,  and,  if  not 
so  found,  to  ascertain  what  steps  are  necessary  to  put  the 
work  of  this  Board  on  a  permanent  and  harmonious  basis, 
and  to  report  their  recommendations,  together  with  the 
reasons  therefor,  to  the  next  General  Assembly  " — begs 
leave  to  submit  the  following  report : 

MEETINGS   OF   COMMITTEE. 

The  Committee  (except  Dr.  Hall  and  Judge  Trunkey, 
who  were  absent  from  pressure  of  business)  met  pursuant 
to  call  on  the  9th  day  of  February,  1887,  and  also  April  1, 
1887,  at  the  Board  of  Publication  rooms.  No,  1334  Chest- 
nut Street,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  and  called  before  them  the 
President  of  the  Board  of  Publication,  the  Chairman  or  a 
representative  of  each  Standing  Committee  (except  the 
Auditing  Committee)  of  the  Board,  and  the  executive 
officers  thereof,  and  examined  them  thoroughly  as  to  the 
character  of  the  organization,  the  methods  of  business 
and  the  probable  causes  of  friction  between  the  different 
departments  of  the  Board,  and  as  to  the  general  policy  of 
the  Board  under  its  new  By-laws,  and  as  to  the  feasibility 
and  expediency  of  such  a  separation  as  is  contemplated  in 
the  General  Assembly's  resolution. 

The  Committee  regrets  exceedingly  that  it  was  deprived 
of  the  services  of  Dr.  Dulles,  the  General  Secretary  of 
the  Board,  owing  to  his  sickness.  We  feel  that  his  long 
experience  and  great  familiarity  with  the  subject  would 
have  thrown  much  light  on  the  questions  involved.  After 
the  first  adjournment  of  the  Committee,  Dr.  Dulles  so  far 
recovered  as  to  be  able  to  present  very  succinctly  his  views 
on  the  subject  in  a  letter  to  the  Chairman  of  the  Commit- 
tee, which  was  considered  by  the  Committee  at  its  second 
meeting  and  materially  aided  it  in  coming  to  a  conclusion. 


AND  SABBATH-SCHOOL   WOKK.  1G9 

The  illness  of  Dr.  Dulles  culminated  in  his  death  on  the 
13th  day  of  April,  1887.  The  Committee  cannot  refrain 
from  expressing  its  great  grief  that  the  Board  and  the 
Church  should  have  been  deprived  of  the  services  of  so 
able  and  experienced  an  officer  at  this  time.  He  died 
literally  in  the  harness,  endeavoring  to  the  last  to  aid  the 
cause  he  so  loved  and  to  perfect  the  work  of  the  Board. 
It  will  be  long  ere  another,  however  skillful,  will  be  able 
to  fill  the  position  which  he  so  long  held  with  honor  to 
himself  and  benefit  to  the  whole  Church. 

We  found  the  members  of  the  Board  thoroughly  in 
sympathy  with  the  great  work  which  is  committed  to  it, 
earnestly  alive  to  its  interests  and  practically  informed  as 
to  the  needs  of  the  Board.  There  was  no  want  of  harmony 
in  regard  to  the  importance  of  the  interests  committed  to 
this  Board  among  its  members,  but  we  found  radical 
differences  of  opinion  as  to  the  methods  of  attaining  the 
greatest  efficiency  in  its  work,  and  as  to  the  results  under 
its  present  organization.  We  found  a  seeming  want  of 
confidence  on  the  part  of  some  of  the  members  of  the 
Board  in  the  value  of  certain  methods  heretofore  adopted 
by  some  of  the  officers  of  the  Board,  rather  than  opposition 
to  the  objects  sought  to  be  attained. 

SEPARATION   NOT   FEASIBLE   OR   EXPEDIENT. 

We  found  that  it  was  almost  the  unanimous  opinion  of 
the  members  of  the  Board  and  the  officers  thereof  who 
were  examined  that  an  absolute  separation  of  the  Business 
and  Editorial  Departments  from  the  Sunday-school  and 
Colportage  or  Missionary  Department  was  neither  expe- 
dient nor  feasible.  The  Committee  examined  very  care- 
fully all  the  members  and  officers  of  the  Board  who  wished 
to  be  heard,  and  did  hear  a  representative  from  all  its 
Committees  and  departments,  as  to  their  reasons  why  such 
separation  should  not  be  made.    After  hearing  the  evidence 


170  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION 

and  carefully  considering  and  discussing  the  subject  among 
ourselves,  we  were  unanimously  of  the  opinion  that  it 
would  not  be  expedient  or  feasible  to  effect  such  separation, 
for  the  following  reasons : 

First.  Observation  and  experience  show  that  benevolent 
work  is  inevitably  undertaken  by  any  institution  engaging 
in  religious  publication.  The  call  for  benevolent  work 
lies  in  the  very  nature  of  religious  publication  and  in  the 
objects  at  which  it  aims. 

Second.  The  separation  of  the  Missionary  or  Benevolent 
Department  from  the  Business  Department  might  be  the 
death-knell  of  the  Board,  because,  if  the  benevolent  idea 
were  eliminated  from  the  Board,  it  would  receive  little  or 
no  support  from  the  Church  at  large. 

Third.  An  organic  separation  of  the  Business  from  the 
Missionary  Department  of  the  work  would  more  than 
likely  increase  the  friction  between  the  managers  of  these 
two  departments,  because  the  persons  buying  and  the 
persons  requiring  assistance  through  the  benevolent  work 
of  the  Board  are  to  a  large  extent  the  same  persons. 
Letters  calling  for  books  constantly  ask  for  grants,  and  the 
two  are  inextricably  mingled.  The  disseverance  of  these 
two  departments  would  lead  to  early  and  constant  confusion 
and  conflict,  which  could  not  easily  be  harmonized  by  two 
independent  Boards. 

Fourth.  The  withdrawal  of  the  missionary  from  the 
business  work  would  tend  to  secularize  the  business  of  the 
Board  in  an  undesirable  manner.  The  character  of  the 
publications  now  issued  is  largely  influenced  by  the  fact 
that  the  Board  is  a  missionary  institution. 

Fifth.  The  business  which  is  derived  from  the  Sunday- 
School  Work  of  the  Church  lies  at  the  bottom  of  the 
business  prosperity  of  the  Board,  the  business  derived 
from  the  Sunday-schools  being  about  seventy-five  per  cent 


AND   SABBATH-SCHOOL   WORK.  171 

of  the  whole  business  of  the  Board,  and  increasing  in  that 
direction.  This  is  so  also  as  to  the  selling  of  books,  the 
books  now  in  demand  being  mainly  Sunday-school  books. 

Sixth.  The  periodical  business,  which  has  grown  very 
rapidly,  has  become  the  main  branch  of  the  Business 
Department,  and  this  is  exclusively  Sunday-school  work. 

Seventh.  A  separation  would  necessarily  entail  an  in- 
creased expense  in  conducting  the  work  now  under  the 
supervision  of  this  Board,  in  office-room,  clerk-hire  and 
salaries.  Each  separate  department  would  require  a  full 
outfit  to  carry  on  its  work. 

Eighth.  The  separation  would  also  involve  the  estab- 
lishment of  another  Board;  and,  while  at  present  the 
Business  Department  derives  no  support  from  the  contri- 
butions of  the  Church  at  large,  such  contributions  being 
devoted  entirely  to  the  Missionary  Department,  yet  the 
separation  might  result  in  such  a  diminution  of  the  income 
of  the  Publishing  Department  as  to  require  aid  from  the 
churches  by  way  of  contributions  to  publish  books  and 
periodicals.  This  will  be  more  apparent  if  the  Assembly 
takes  into  consideration  that  large  numbers  of  the  books 
published  by  the  Board  of  Publication  are  non-paying 
books,  and  are  published  by  order  of  the  Assembly  from 
time  to  time  for  the  uses  of  the  Church. 

Ninth.  We  found  that  liberal-minded  and  large-hearted 
Presbyterians  had  contributed  large  sums  of  money  for 
the  purpose  of  establishing  the  Central  Publishing  House 
in  Philadelphia  for  the  benefit  of  the  Board  of  Publication, 
as  well  as  the  general  advantage  of  our  other  denomi- 
national interests.  While  technically,  perhaps,  under  the 
law,  these  trusts  might  be  divided,  yet  the  moral  obliga- 
tion of  preserving  them  intact,  not  only  for  the  Business 
Department,  but  also  for  the  Missionary  Department, 
seems  to  negative  the  idea  of  such  separation. 


172  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION 

For  these  and  other  reasons  the  Committee,  although 
when  it  first  met  perhaps  unanimously  thinking  separation 
the  wisest  policy,  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  business 
of  the  Board  was  so  complicated,  and  its  diverse  interests 
were  so  interlaced  and  dependent  one  upon  the  other,  that 
a  separation  into  independent  Boards  might  result  in  great 
detriment  to  this  important  arm  of  the  Church-work. 
Being  of  this  opinion,  it  was  not  deemed  necessary  to  go 
into  an  examination  of  the  complex  and  delicate  legal 
questions  which  might  arise  as  to  the  property  of  the 
Board  and   as  to  bequests  heretofore  made  to  its  funds. 

WHAT   IS   NECESSARY   TO   HARMONIZE   THE   BOARD. 

The  Committee  next  attempted  to  ascertain  what  steps 
were  necessary  to  put  the  work  of  this  Board  on  a  per- 
manent and  harmonious  basis,  in  accordance  with  the 
instructions  of  the  latter  part  of  the  resolution  under 
which  it  was  appointed. 

A  short  history  of  the  Board  itself  from  its  organization 
to  the  present  time  will  greatly  aid  in  understanding  the 
reasons  which  impel  the  Committee  to  make  the  recom- 
mendations hereinafter  made.  We  trace  its  history  through 
both  branches  of  the  Church  prior  to  the  Reunion  in 
1870. 

HISTORY. — OLD   SCHOOL. 

In  1838  the  Old  School  Assembly  organized  a  Board  of 
Publication,  reciting,  "  Whereas,  Sabbath-school  and  tract 
publications  cannot  fail  to  exert  a  very  great  influence 
upon  the  growth  of  our  Church  and  country ;  and  whereas, 
It  is  the  duty  of  the  highest  judicatory  of  the  Church  to 
exercise  such  a  supervision  over  this  subject  as  will  secure 
the  diffusion  of  sound  and  scriptural  principles,  '  for  the 
promotion  of  charity,  truth  and  holiness,'  through  all  the 
churche.s  under  our  care;  therefore.  Resolved,  1.  That  the 
General  Assembly  will  superintend  and  conduct  by  its  own 


AND   SABBATH-SCHOOL   WORK.  173 

proper  authority  the  work  of  furnishing  the  churches 
under  its  care  with  suitable  tract  and  Sabbath- school  pub- 
lications by  a  Board  appointed  for  that  purpose  and 
directly  amenable  to  that  Assembly."  And  for  that  pur- 
pose a  Board  was  constituted,  of  forty  ministers  and  forty 
laymen,  to  be  styled  the  "  Board  of  Publication  of  Tracts 
and  Sabbath-School  Books  of  the  General  Assembly  in 
the  United  States  of  America."  (See  Presbyterian  Digest, 
p.  433.) 

In  1839  the  Assembly  changed  the  name  to  the  "  Pres- 
byterian Board  of  Publication,"  and  so  altered  its 
constitution  as  to  require  said  Board  "  to  publish  not  only 
tracts  and  Sabbath-school  books,  but  also  approved  works 
in  support  of  the  great  principles  of  the  Reformation,  as 
exhibited  in  the  doctrines  and  order  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  and  whatever  else  the  Assembly  may  direct." 
In  1848  the  General  Assembly  recommended  the  Synods 
and  Presbyteries  to  establish  depositories,  and  by  an 
efficient  system  of  colportage  under  their  direction  to  aid 
the  Board  in  securing  a  wide  circulation  for  their  books ; 
which  recommendation  was  repeated  in  1850.  In  1852  the 
Assembly  recommended  the  Board  to  consider  the  orga- 
nization of  co-ordinate  agencies  and  depositories  at  the 
West,  South  and  South-west  as  speedily  as  may  be  deemed 
consisteiit  with  the  safety  and  permanency  of  the  orga- 
nization already  established  at  Philadelphia,  and  recom- 
mended to  all  pastors  and  churches  to  render  aid  to  the 
Board  by  contribution  of  funds,  so  as  to  enable  the  Board 
greatly  to  enlarge  the  work  of  colportage.  In  1856  the 
Assembly  called  the  attention  of  the  churches  to  the  fact 
that  there  were  two  departments  under  the  management 
of  the  Board — one  a  purely  business,  the  other  a  charitable 
and  missionary,  enterprise,  and  expressed  pleasure  in  the 
determination  of  the  Board  to  keep  the  accounts  of  the 
two  departments  separate.     It  also  recommended  to  the 


174  BOAKD   OF   PUBLICATION 

Board  to  increase  its  Sabbath-school  libraries  as  rapidly  aa 
possible.  In  nearly  every  Assembly  down  to  1870  the 
Sabbath-school  and  colportage  work  of  the  Board  was 
highly  commended,  and  the  churches  and  Presbyteries 
were  urged  to  aid  in  increasing  its  efficiency. 

It  will  be  seen,  on  examining  the  Minutes  of  the  General 
Assembly,  that  from  the  original  organization  of  the  Board 
down  to  the  year  ]  870,  while  the  work  "  of  publishing  in 
cheap  and  substantial  form  well-selected  books,  sound  in 
theology  and  rich  in  practical  and  devotional  matter," 
was  not  underrated,  yet  the  General  Assembly  consistently 
and  emphatically  commended  as  of  the  highest  importance 
the  Sabbath-school  and  colportage  work  of  the  Board. 

HISTORY. — NEW  SCHOOL. 

The  New  School  Church  in  1852  established  at  Phila- 
delphia a  Standing  Committee  of  nine  persons,  called  the 
"  Doctrinal  Tract  Committee,"'  to  superintend  the  publica- 
tion of  a  series  of  tracts  explanatory  of  the  doctrines, 
government  and  missionary  policy  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  as  the  General  Assembly  shall  from  time  to  time 
direct.  In  1853  this  Committee  was  authorized  to  take 
such  measures  as  they  shall  deem  advisable  to  secure  funds 
for  the  erection  of  a  house  of  publication,  and  collections 
in  the  churches  were  enjoined  in  aid  of  this  publishing 
fund,  under  the  control  of  the  Committee.  In  1854  the 
number  of  the  Committee  was  increased  to  fifteen.  In 
1855  the  name  was  changed  to  the  "  Presbyterian  Publi- 
cation Committee."  In  1857  authority  was  given  the 
Committee  to  publish  not  only  such  works  as  may  present 
the  peculiarities  of  our  branch  of  the  Christian  Church  in 
doctrine  and  practice,  but  from  time  to  time  such  works  of 
an  evangelical  character  as  may  be  profitable  to  the  Church 
at  large.  This  Assembly  also  enjoined  an  annual  collec- 
tion from  the  churches  for  the  publication  cause,  and  that 


AND   SABBATH-SCHOOL   WORK.  175 

a  sermon  be  preached  before  each  General  Assembly  on 
the  subject  of  publication. 

In  1859  the  General  Assembly  permitted  all  churches 
making  an  annual  collection  to  order  for  their  own  use 
any  publications  of  the  Committee  to  the  amount  of  one- 
half  of  their  respective  collections.  In  1860  the  Assembly 
recommended  that  the  Publication  Committee  be  endowed 
with  a  working  capital  of  not  less  than  twenty-five  thou- 
sand dollars,  requesting  a  special  contribution  in  the 
churches  for  this  object,  and  empowered  the  Committee  to 
employ  an  agent  for  the  furthering  of  this  scheme,  and 
also  recommended  presbyterial  depositories  for  its  books. 
This  Assembly,  in  1866 — reciting,  "  We  believe  that  the 
Sabbath-school  is  a  nursery  of  the  Christian  Church,  one 
bulwark  of  Christian  doctrine,  a  promoter  of  Christian 
union,  and  an  organizer  of  Christian  labor ;  in  other  words, 
it  saves  the  young,  it  secures  the  faith,  it  settles  differences 
and  it  develops  power,"  etc. — ordered  the  appointment  of 
a  Permanent  Committee  on  Sabbath-schools  to  supervise 
the  Sabbath -school  literature  of  the  Church  in  co-operation 
■with  the  Permanent  Committee  on  Publication;  to  issue 
circulars  which  may  help  the  cause,  and  use  other  appro- 
priate methods  of  the  Presbyteries  to  collect  data,  etc. ;  to 
promote  the  establishment  of  Sabbath-schools  in  needy 
localities  in  co-operation  with  the  Presbyterian  Committee 
of  Home  Missions ;  to  promote  the  Sabbath-school  cause 
in  heathen  lands  in  co-operation  wdth  the  American 
Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions ;  to  promote 
the  establishment  of  Sabbath-schools  in  Mexico,  etc.,  in 
co-operation  with  the  American  and  Foreign  Christian 
Union ;  to  promote  the  increase  of  the  ministry  through 
the  influences  brought  to  bear  on  the  Sabbath-school,  and 
thus  prove  an  auxiliary  to  the  Education  Committee. 
Presbyteries  were  instructed  to  appoint  Presbyterial  Com- 
mittees on  Sabbath-schools,  and  the  Publication  Committee 


176  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION 

was  authorized  to  send  publications  of  the  Church  to 
Sabbath-school  Committees  in  response  to  their  directions. 
This  Permanent  Committee  on  Sabbath-schools  lingered 
along  without  accomplishing  very  much  until  1869,  when 
it  was  dissolved  at  its  own  request. 

The  New  School  Assembly  prior  to  this  had  repeatedly 
commended  the  Sunday-school  cause  to  its  churches  and 
ministers,  and  had  also  endorsed  the  American  Sunday- 
School  Union  as  an  efficient  means  of  fostering  and  ex- 
tending Sunday-schools. 

It  can  be  said  of  this  branch  of  the  Church,  as  of  the 
Old  School,  that  the  benevolent  work  of  its  Publication 
Committee  and  the  Sabbath-school  Work  were  prominent 
features  of  its  policy. 

HISTORY  SINCE  REUNION. 

At  the  Reunion  in  1870  the  Publication  Board  and 
Committee  were  consolidated.  The  Board  was  to  be  com.- 
posed  of  forty-eight  members,  one-half  ministers  and 
one-half  laymen,  divided  into  three  classes,  and  elected 
for  three  years  respectively.  The  Board  was  to  hold  at  least 
four  meetings  each  year.  The  executive  officers  were  to 
be  a  Secretary  or  Secretaries,  whose  titles  and  duties  were 
to  be  defined  by  the  Board,  and  a  Treasurer,  all  other  in- 
ternal arrangements  necessary  for  the  purpose  of  its 
organization  to  be  made  by  the  Board  of  Publication  after 
its  reorganization.  Each  Presbytery  was  directed  to 
appoint  a  Presbyterial  Publication  Committee  to  supervise 
the  work  of  securing  an  annual  collection  for  the  Board, 
to  recommend  suitable  persons  to  act  as  colporteurs,  to 
correspond  with  the  Board  in  reference  to  its  work  in  the 
Presbytery,  and  to  do  whatever  else  may  tend  to  promote 
the  work  and  interests  of  the  Board  and  to  secure  a 
thorough  distribution  of  the  Board's  publications  within 
and  throughout  the  bounds  of  the  Presbytery,  etc. 


AND   SABBATH-SCHOOL    WORK.  177 

111  1870  the  General  Assembly  recommended  to  the 
Board  to  consider  the  propriety  of  establishing  a  Depart- 
ment of  Sabbath-Schools,  whose  oflice  it  shall  be  to  pro- 
mote the  number  and  efficiency  of  the  Sabbath-schools 
throughout  the  churches,  and  strongly  recommended  the 
extension  of  the  colportage  work.  This  was  repeated  in 
1871  by  the  General  Assembly,  and  the  Board  was  directed, 
*'  in  appointing  colporteurs,  as  far  as  possible  to  select  such 
persons  as  .may  also  be  suitable  for  Sabbath-school  mis- 
sionaries, and  instruct  them  to  establish  Sabbath-schools 
in  destitute  localities,  under  the  supervision  of  the  Pres- 
byteries." 

In  1871  the  Board  reported  to  the  Assembly  that  its 
entire  work  had  been  divided  into  five  branches,  each 
branch  being  consigned  to  a  Committee,  all  of  the  five 
Committees  to  report  to  the  monthly  meetings  of  the 
Board.  These  Committees  are  as  follows :  the  Publishing 
Committee,  to  examine  manuscripts  and  tracts ;  the 
Periodical  Committee,  to  supervise  the  periodicals ;  the 
Missionary  Committee,  on  colportage,  gratuitous  distribu- 
tion and  Sabbath-School  Work ;  the  Business  Committee, 
to  have  charge  of  the  property  and  business  of  the  Board; 
the  Auditing  Committee,  by  which  bills  and  accounts  of 
all  the  departments  are  examined,  approved  or  disallowed. 

In  1872  a  department  of  the  Board  of  Publication 
having  the  Sabbath-schools  in  charge  was  separately  con- 
stituted, and  required  to  keep  a  distinct  account  with  the 
Board.  Its  duty  was  to  disseminate  the  publications  of 
the  Board  by  donations  and  by  sale,  by  its  appointees,  who 
shall  be  called  "  Missionaries  of  the  Board  of  Publication," 
and  who  shall  be  appointed  subject  to  the  approval  and 
shall  be  under  the  control  of  the  Presbyteries,  "  to  super- 
vise the  whole  Sabbath-school  Work  of  the  Church  in 
connection  with  the  Presbyteries,  and  aim  to  lift  this 
important  agency  of  Christian  evangelization  into  the 
12 


178  BOARD   OF    PUBLICATION 

prominence  and  efficiency  which  it  deserves,  and  which 
the  great  needs  of  our  country  have  so  largely  call  for  at 
the  present  time." 

In  1872  the  Board  appointed  Mr.  J.  Bennett  Tyler 
General  Superintendent  of  the  Sabbath-School  Depart- 
ment. 

In  1878  the  churches  were  urged  to  contribute  more 
liberally  to  its  missionary  and  colportage  funds,  and  the 
Sabbath-school  Work  was  commended.  The  appointment 
of  Rev.  James  A.  Worden  as  Superintendent  of  Sabbath- 
School  Worii  was  approved,  and  it  was  recommended  that 
each  Presbytery  appoint  a  Committee  to  oversee  and  en- 
courage the  Sabbath-schools  in  the  bounds  of  each 
Presbytery.  This  latter  recommendation  was  repeated  in 
1879. 

In  1880,  Rev.  James  A.  Worden  was  appointed  by  the 
General  Assembly  "  Secretary  of  the  Sabbath -School 
Work  of  the  Board,  his  salary  to  be  derived  from  the 
same  sources  as  that  of  the  other  secretaries.*' 

In  1881  the  Board  was  directed  to  appoint  from  its 
own  number  a  Standing  Committee  of  seven  to  advise  and 
consult  with  the  Secretary  of  Sabbath-School  Work. 

In  1881,  1882,  1883,  1884,  1885,  the  Sabbath-school  and 
colportage  work  were  prominently  commended,  and  in 
1885  the  General  Assembly  adopted  this  resolution  :  "  We 
would  remind  the  Board  that  it  is  sustained  with  special 
reference  to  benevolent  and  missionary  work,  to  which  the 
commercial  feature  should  be  auxiliary,  whilst  the  Business 
Department  furnishes  and  aids  the  dissemination  of  the 
religious  literature  of  our  Church." 

DEPOSITORIES   AND   BRANCH   HOUSES. 

The  General  Assembly  in  1882  authorized  the  establish- 
ment of  depositories  at  Chicago  and  St.  Louis,  and  in  1884 


AND   SABBATH-SCHOOL    WORK.  179 

of  one  ill  San  Francisco,  and  in  1885  recommended  confer- 
ences between  the  Board  and  the  Presbytery  of  New 
York  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  a  first-class  depository 
in  New  York  City.  The  Board  also,  from  time  to  time, 
established  in  different  cities  in  the  country  agencies  and 
branch  houses  for  the  sale  of  books,  which  policy  was 
approved  by  the  General  Assembly.  In  some  cases  the 
books  are  sold  by  the  Board  to  the  bookseller  at  the 
ordinary  wholesale  discount  from  its  catalogue  prices ;  in 
others  they  are  placed  on  sale,  a  commission  being  allowed 
in  the  shape  of  ordinary  discounts  from  the  catalogue 
prices,  the  books  remaining,  however,  the  property  of  the 
Board.  There  are  some  twenty  of  these  "  branch  houses  " 
or  "  representatives  "  now  established.  In  1885  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly  passed  the  following  resolution :  "  The 
General  Assembly  would  call  the  attention  of  the  Board 
to  the  necessity  of  great  care  in  the  establishment  of  what 
are  termed  '  branch  houses '  or  '  representatives,'  not  mul- 
tiplying these  except  when  the  necessity  is  apparent,  and 
the  probabilities  of  advancing  religious  ends  without 
militating  against  the  interests  of  other  important  agencies 
are  such  as  to  warrant  the  extension  of  the  same ;  also, 

"The  Missionary  Department  of  the  Board  is  instructed 
to  advance  its  colportage  work,  as  far  as  possible,  in  har- 
mony with  the  interests  of  these  representative  houses, 
instructing  the  colporteurs  to  call  attention  to  these  as 
sources  of  supply  which  may  remain  when  they  shall  have 
gone  to  other  fields  of  labor." 

In  1886  the  policy  announced  in  the  first  of  the  above 
resolutions  was  again  enjoined  on  the  Board  by  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly,  with  the  added  requirement  that  "the 
business  be  so  conducted  that  the  profits  thereof  shall 
accrue  to  the  benefit  of  the  Board  rather  than  to  the 
benefit  of  private  individuals." 


180  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION 

CAUSES   OF   FRICTION. 

Discord  between  the  Missionary  and  Business  Depart- 
ments arose  from  the  real  or  supposed  encroachment  of 
the  colporteurs,  in  making  sales,  on  the  business  of  these 
agencies  or  branch  houses,  and  from  the  manner  in  which 
sums  of  money  sent  to  buy  books,  accompanied  with 
requests  for  donations  of  books,  were  treated  by  the 
Missionary  Department.  The  custom  of  the  Missionary 
Department  has  been  to  consider  all  money  received  as 
contributions  to  the  missionary  fund,  and  the  books  and 
periodicals  indiscriminately  as  grants  from  the  Missionary 
Department.  As  this  subject  was  fully  discussed  in  the 
report  of  Dr.  Eaton's  Special  Committee  last  year  to  the 
Assembly,  it  is  needless  to  pursue  it  farther  in  detail. 

Dissatisfaction  between  these  two  departments  also  arose 
from  the  fact  that  each  was  zealously  pushing  its  own 
work  in  order  to  make  as  favorable  a  showing  thereof  as 
possible.  But  it  is  not  necessary  to  go  farther  into  the 
details  of  these  differences,  or  to  decide  who  was  right  or 
who  was  wrong  in  such  disagreements.  The  only  thing 
the  Committee  cares  to  record  is  the  fact  of  such  disagree- 
ments. 

Prior  to  the  resignation  of  Dr.  Schenck  there  was  no 
recognized  head  to  the  Board ;  the  Business  Committee, 
the  Publishing  Committee,  the  Committee  on  Periodicals, 
the  Missionary  Committee  and  the  Sabbath-school  Com- 
mittee, in  connection  with  the  respective  executive  officers 
of  these  departments,  had  complete  control  of  their  re- 
spective branches,  subject,  of  course,  to  the  approval  of 
the  Board  at  its  meetings.  Each  Committee  kept  a  record 
of  its  proceedings,  which  was  submitted  to  the  Board 
monthly  for  approval.  The  result  of  this  plan  of  organi- 
zation naturally  made  each  Committee  zealous  for  the 
promotion  of  its  own  special  work. 


AND   SABBATH-SCHOOL    WORK.  181 

The  Board  is  composed  of  clergymen  and  laymen  who 
have  other  duties  to  perform  which  largely  require  their 
time,  and  they  naturally  give  the  time  which  they  devote 
to  the  Board's  interests  to  a  thorough  understanding  of  the 
workings  of  that  branch  over  which  they  have  oversight. 
This  results  in  practically  creating  a  Board  of  forty- eight 
members,  consisting  of  five  smaller  independent  Boards, 
each  with  distinct  objects  to  subserve  and  with  independent 
and  often  diverse  plans  of  procedure,  although  the  main 
differences  seem  to  have  arisen  between  the  Business  and 
Missionary  Departments.  It  was  natural,  when  the  Board 
met  as  a  whole,  and  such  differences  were  to  be  considered, 
that  the  Chairman  of  each  Committee,  backed  by  the 
members  of  his  Committee,  would  seek  to  convince  the 
Board  of  the  importance  of  that  Committee's  work ;  and 
it  is  not  surprising  that  there  should  be  radical  differences 
of  opinion  as  to  the  proper  policies  to  be  adopted  by  the 
Board  in  its  general  work.  In  fact,  it  is  surprising  that 
they  should  have  been  able  to  get  along  as  harmoniously 
as  their  history  shows.  When  you  add  to  this  the  inde- 
pendence of  each  Secretary  and  Superintendent,  naturally 
backed  with  the  sympathy  of  the  Committee  with  which 
he  was  associated,  coupled  with  the  laudable  desire  to 
make  as  favorable  showing  as  possible  of  his  work,  the 
conflict  of  opinion  and  friction  between  the  departments 
resulted  in  the  very  nature  of  things.  This  is  perhaps  an 
incurable  difficulty,  but  we  hope  the  plan  hereinafter 
suggested  will  to  a  great  extent  remedy  it. 

An  added  cause  of  discontent  is  found  in  the  fact  that 
the  Corresponding  Secretary,  the  Editorial  Secretary  and 
the  Sabbath-School  Secretary  were  each  members  of  the 
Board  and  had  the  right  to  vote  on  all  questions,  whereas 
the  Assistant  Editor  and  the  Business  Superintendent 
were  not  members  of  the  Board.  Of  course  the  presence 
of  these  gentlemen  at  the  meetings  of  the  Board,  and  the 


182  BOARD   OF    PUBLICATION 

respect  which  was  naturally  felt  for  all  its  members,  must 
have  interfered  to  some  extent  with  a  free  interchange  of 
opinion  as  to  the  action  of  such  Secretaries,  and  possibly 
might  give  color  to  the  opinion  that  the  departments  were 
not  equally  represented  in  the  Board's  deliberations. 

Another  difficulty  in  the  composition  of  the  Board  is  in 
the  number  of  its  members.  As  already  stated,  it  consists 
of  forty-eight  members.  Most  of  them  reside  reasonably 
near  Philadelphia;  some  of  them,  however,  are  thousands 
of  miles  from  the  Board's  general  office.  Many  of  the 
most  important  questions  coming  before  the  Board  never 
receive  the  consideration  of  more  than  one-half  its  mem- 
bers. The  practical  result  of  this  was  presented  to  the 
Committee  in  the  attempt  recently  made  by  the  Board 
to  change  its  By-laws.  The  rules  required  that  a  change 
could  be  made  only  by  a  majority  of  its  members,  but  the 
Board  was  not  able  to  effect  the  change  after  repeated  efforts 
for  more  than  six  months,  because  they  could  not  obtain 
the  presence  of  a  majority  of  the  Board  favoring  the 
change.  There  was  some  dissatisfaction  resulting  from 
the  method  in  which  it  was  finally  effected;  but  this 
Committee  is  of  the  opinion  that  it  has  nothing  to  do  with 
that  question. 

We  found  that  in  more  than  one  instance  the  pastor  and 
more  than  one  elder  from  the  same  church  are  members 
of  the  Board,  and  that  several  members  are  also  members 
of  one  or  more  of  the  other  benevolent  Boards  of  the 
Church. 

BUSINESS   DEPARTMENT. 

We  found  the  Business  Department  of  the  Board  well 
managed  and  self-supporting,  and  we  take  pleasure  in 
correcting  an  erroneous  opinion  in  the  Church  growing 
out  of  a  misapprehension  as  to  tlie  use  of  the  large  capital 
employed  in  this  department.     In  the  first  place,  many  of 


AND   SABBATH-SCHOOL    WORK.  183 

our  books  do  not  pay  the  expense  of  their  publication, 
not  being  generally  salable.  Of  these  we  may  mention 
those  of  a  strictly  denominational  character  and  those 
published  by  order  of  the  Assembly.  Second,  the  aim  of 
this  department  is  to  cheapen  its  books  and  periodicals 
rather  than  reap  profits  from  sales.  Third,  a  large  amount 
of  books  are  gratuitously  distributed  every  year,  not  only 
to  the  destitute  by  colporteurs,  but  to  charitable  institu- 
tions, liter^ary  and  theological  institutions,  on  which  no 
profit  is  made.  Fourth,  a  large  part  of  the  Board's  build- 
ings— which  are  a  part  of  its  capital,  and  which  might  be 
rented — are  used  by  other  Boards  of  the  Church  for  offices, 
rent  free.  A  fair  valuation  of  the  rental  of  these  offices 
was  shown  to  be  at  least  five  thousand  dollars  per  annum. 
This  use  is  consistent  with  the  wishes  and  intention  of  the 
donors  of  the  fund  for  constructing  the  building,  and  no 
fault  is  attributed  to  the  Board  for  such  use.  In  addition, 
the  expense  of  lighting,  heating  and  repairing  the  building 
for  this  gratuitous  use  falls  on  the  Business  Department. 
The  small  per  cent,  of  profits  on  the  seemingly  large 
capital  is  thus  explained.  We  state  these  facts  in  order 
that  the  Assembly  may  be  fully  informed  on  the  subject. 

EDITORIAL  AND   PUBLISHING   DEPARTMENT. 

The  Committee  found  the  Editorial  and  Publishing 
Department  well  organized,  both  books  and  periodicals 
evidencing  excellent  work  and  great  care  on  the  part  of 
the  editorial  staS*.  Up  to  the  resignation  of  Dr.  Schenck 
this  has  been  peculiarly  within  the  province  of  Dr.  Dulles 
and  his  efficient  assistant.  Dr.  Miller,  and  the  Periodical 
and  Publishing  Committees.  Since  that  resignation  the 
work  has  devolved  largely  on  Dr.  Miller,  and  we  think 
this  branch  of  the  work  will  compare  favorably  with  any 
of  like  character  in  the  United  States. 


18-4  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION 

SABBATH-SCHOOL   DEPARTMENT. 

The  Sabbath-school  Work,  under  the  supervision  of  Dr. 
Worden,  has,  by  reason  of  the  character  of  the  Board's 
organization,  been  confined  to  the  holding  of  Sabbath- 
school  institutes,  platform  work  in  bringing  the  subject 
before  the  Assembly  and  arousing  renewed  interest  in 
localities,  and  in  the  organization  of  a  course  of  normal 
instruction  known  as  "Bible  Correspondence  School." 
At  present  the  Secretary  has  no  connection  in  any  way 
with  the  colporteurs  in  their  Sabbath-school  Work,  nor 
has  he  any  connection,  save  as  a  contributor,  with  the 
Sabbath-school  helps.  The  colporteurs,  being  under  the 
supervision  of  the  Missionary  Department,  neither  make 
reports  to  nor  receive  any  instructions  from  the  Secretary 
of  Sabbath -School  Work.  Dr.  Worden  has  done  very 
efficient  work  within  the  sphere  to  which  he  is  limited, 
and  deserves  the  commendation  of  the  Church  for  his 
untiring  labors. 

MISSIONARY   DEPARTMENT. 

This  Avork  has  always  been  under  the  supervision  of  the 
Corresponding  Secretary  till  the  time  of  his  resignation, 
since  then  under  the  care  of  Dr.  Dulles,  the  oversight  of 
this  work  being  committed  to  the  General  Secretary  by 
the  Board  in  its  recently  altered  By-laws.  The  manage- 
ment of  colporteurs,  of  grants  to  the  destitute  by  gratuitous 
distribution  to  needy  Sabbath-schools  and  other  institu- 
tions able  to  pay  in  part  only  for  what  they  need,  the 
handling  of  the  benevolent  contributions  of  the  Church 
and  of  individuals,  the  occupation  of  new  fields,  etc.,  all 
come  under  this  department  as  missionary  work. 

CONCLUSIONS   OF   COMMITTEE. 

After  careful  and  prayerful  consideration  of  every  phase 
of  the  subject  and  long  discussions  of  the  matter  among 


AND   SABBATH-SCHOOL    WORK.  185 

ourselves,  the  Committee  unanimously  reached  the  follow- 
ing conclusions,  believing  that  the  suggested  changes  will 
put  the  "  work  of  the  Board  on  a  permanent  and  harmo- 
nious basis,"  make  it  far  more  efficient  and  commend  it  to 
renewed  support  from  the  Church  at  large. 

Following  the  oft-expressed  deliverances  of  the  General 
Assembly  which  have  heretofore  been  quoted,  we  believe 
that  now  the  Sabbath-school  Work  is  by  far  the  most 
important  feature  of  the  Board's  work.  Second  only  to 
this  is  its  colportage  work  or  missionary  work.  Auxiliary 
to  both  in  furnishing  Christian  literature  in  books  and 
periodicals  stands  the  Business  Department. 

We  would  emphasize  the  deliverances  of  the  General 
Assembly  in  declaring  that  the  Sabbath-school  and  col- 
portage work  should  be  done  by  the  same  missionaries. 
The  field  for  both  is  the  same — "  the  destitute  regions ;" 
not  necessarily  outlying  sparsely-settled  regions,  but  places 
destitute  of  God's  word  and  of  religious  teaching  even  in 
our  largest  cities.  The  nature  of  the  work  is  the  same,  as 
organizing,  fostering  and  strengthening  Sabbath-schools 
naturally  falls  in  with  gratuitous  distribution  of  books, 
religious  visitation  to  families  and  sales  of  the  Board's 
literature.  If  Presbyteries  generally  would  heed  the 
admonition  of  the  Assembly  and  nominate  as  missionaries 
for  this  work  men  who  have  qualifications  as  Sabbath- 
school  workers,  much  good  would  be  accomplished.  The 
natural  development  of  these  schools  is  into  churches,  and 
our  records  will  show  that  some  of  our  most  flourishing 
churches  owe  their  being  to  the  successful  planting  of  a 
Sabbath-school.  The  Sabbath -school  is  demanding  the 
attention  of  all  religious  denominations  now  as  never 
before.  In  the  language  of  the  General  Assembly  in 
1874,  "  if  the  Presbyterian  Church  means  to  keep  abreast 
of  other  churches,  she  must  keep  her  Sunday-school 
interest  in  the  foreground."     The  time  has  come  when 


186  BOARD    OF    PUBLICATION 

this  work  must  be  pushed.  The  Church  which  enlists  the 
children  under  Christ's  banner,  under  the  blessing  of  God 
will  be  the  growing  Church,  the  aggressive  Church,  the 
Church  of  the  future.  We  have  all  the  paraphernalia,  all 
the  resources  needed,  all  the  artillery  and  ammunition, 
but  we  need  organization  and  leadership.  This  work 
belongs  to  the  Board  of  Publication  naturally.  As  already 
stated,  seventv-fiv.e  per  cent,  of  its  publications  are  directly 
in  the  line  of  Sabbath-schools.  No  other  Board  could 
successfully  carry  on  this  work.  At  present  the  Secretary 
of  Sabbath-School  Work  has  no  connection,  directly  or 
indirectly,  with  the  field  organizers,  the  colporteurs.  He 
is  a  general  without  an  army,  and  the  colporteurs,  so  far 
as  they  are  Sabbath-school  missionaries,  are  an  army 
without  a  general.  We  think  the  true  solution  of  the 
diflficulties  in  the  Board  of  Publication  is  to  Sabbath- 
schoolize  it  in  theory,  as  its  business  shows  it  to  be 
Sabbath-schoolized  in  fact,  but  we  would  make  it  more 
efficient.  While  we  do  not  underrate  the  importance  of 
platform  and  institute  work  or  normal-school  organization 
for  Sabbath-school  purposes,  back  of  this  lies  the  organi- 
zation and  strengthening  of  Sabbath-schools  themselves, 
and  we  think  more  systematic  labor  in  this  direction 
would  show  great  results.  The  importance  of  presenting 
this  great  cause  to  the  churches  properly  for  their  support 
cannot  be  overestimated.  If  the  Church  at  large  can  be 
made  to  know  that  its  contributions  go  directly  to  the 
establishment  of  Sabbath-schools,  religious  visitation, 
gratuitous  distribution  of  Christian  literature  among  the 
spiritually  destitute,  and,  to  use  the  language  of  the 
General  Assembly  in  1882,  "that  the  selling  of  books, 
while  still  continued  so  far  as  it  can  be  usefully  done,  is  to 
be  in  all  cases  subordinated  to  these  more  directly  benev- 
olent and  religious  labors,"  we  believe  this  Board  will 
receive  its  heartiest  support. 


AND   SABBATH-SCHOOL   WORK.  187 

CONSOLIDATION  THE  TRUE  REMEDY. 

We  believe  these  results  can  best  be  accomplished  by 
the  consolidation  of  the  Sabbath-school  and  missionary  or 
colportage  work  into  one  department  and  under  the 
supervision  of  a  "  Superintendent  of  Sabbath-School  and 
Missionary  Work,"  and  that  he  should  have  the  control 
and  direction  of  the  colporteurs,  and  that  they  should 
report  to  him  direct,  subject,  of  course,  to  the  limitations 
now  regulating  their  appointment  and  work  in  their 
respective  Presbyteries,  and  subject  to  the  general  super- 
vision of  the  General  Secretary  and  the  Board. 

The  editorial  and  publishing  work,  including  books  and 
periodicals,  should  be  placed  in  another  department  and 
be  under  the  supervision  and  care  of  a  "  Superintendent 
of  Editorial  Work."  The  business  interests  of  the  Board 
should  remain,  as  at  present,  in  a  separate  dej)artment, 
and  be  under  the  control  and  supervisory  care  of  a 
"  Business  Superintendent." 

The  Board  should  be  composed  of  a  sufficient  number, 
from  which  three  general  Supervisory  Committees  could 
be  appointed,  to  which  these  respective  departments 
should  be  committed.  In  other  words,  the  Committees  of 
the  Board  should  be  a  Sabbath-School  and  Missionary 
Committee,  to  which  should  be  committed  Sabbath-school 
and  colportage  work ;  an  Editorial  and  Publishing  Com- 
mittee, to  which  should  be  committed  the  editorial  and 
publishing  work  of  both  books  and  periodicals  ;  a  Business 
Committee,  to  which  should  be  committed  the  business 
interests  of  the  Board;  and  an  Auditing' Committee,  to 
audit  the  bills  and  accounts  of  the  respective  departments. 

GENERAL  SECRETARY. 

After  the  resignation  of  Dr.  Schenck  as  Corresponding 
Secretary,  the  Board  sought  to  render  the  Board  more 


188  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATrON 

efficient  by  unification  as  far  as  possible,  and  the  establish- 
ment of  one  Secretary  as  the  controlling  executive  officer 
of  the  Board,  subject,  of  course,  to  the  direction  of  the 
Board  itself.  It  effected  the  change,  and  elected  as  General 
Secretary  of  the  Board  Rev.  John  W.  Dulles,  D.  D.,  so 
long  connected  with  it  as  Editorial  Secretary,  who  con- 
ducted its  operations  since  the  resignation  of  Dr.  Schenck, 
except  when  he  was  unable  to  do  so  from  sickness,  up  to 
the  time  of  his  death.  This  Committee  is  of  the  opinion 
that  this  is  a  move  in  the  right  direction,  and  deem  it 
highly  important  that,  while  the  General  Secretary  should 
be  the  chief  executive  officer  of  the  Board  and  supervise 
and  control  the  management  of  all  its  departments,  and 
the  respective  Superintendents  should  recognize  his  au- 
thority to  the  fullest  extent,  each  Superintendent  ought 
to  have  the  right  to  an  appeal  to  the  Board  from  the 
General  Secretary's  decision  in  matters  of  importance 
where  opinions  may  conflict;  and  until  such  appeal  is 
decided  the  authority  of  the  General  Secretary  shall  be 
paramount. 

MEMBERS   NOT   TO   BE   MEMBERS   OF   OTHER   BOARDS. 

As  the  interests  committed  to  this  Board  are  of  great 
importance  and  demand  careful  attention,  and  as,  of  neces- 
sity, the  time  given  to  the  business  by  its  members  must 
be  limited  to  the  time  they  can  spare  to  it  from  their 
other  duties  and  business,  in  consonance  with  the  expressed 
opinion  of  the  last  General  Assembly  on  the  general  sub- 
ject, this  Committee  is  of  the  opinion  that  members  of 
this  Board  should  be  selected  with  a  view  to  their  special 
fitness  for  the  work,  and  not  be  members  of  any  other 
benevolent  Board  of  the  Church.  Such  a  rule  would  be 
wise  in  regard  to  all  the  Boards  of  the  Church,  for  the 
reason  that  it  would  enlist  a  greater  number  of  earnest 
and  efficient  workers  in  the  grand  work  for  which  these 


AND   SABBATH-SCHOOL    WORK.  189 

Boards  were  constituted,  and  it  would  allow  more  time  for 
the  work  to  each  member  and  afford  an  opportunity  for  a 
more  thorough  understanding  and  complete  mastery  of 
the  work  in  its  details  by  the  respective  members  of  each 
Board.  Each  member  of  any  Board  must,  of  necessity, 
become  interested  in  its  success,  but  where  the  allegiance 
is  divided  prominence  will  be  given  to  the  work  of  that 
one  which  preference  would  naturally  indicate,  and  the 
work  of  other  Boards  will  possibly  be  neglected.  We  think 
the  Presbyterian  Church  amply  large  enough  to  furnish 
men  to  fill  positions  on  all  its  Boards  without  calling  on 
the  same  individuals  to  serve  on  more  than  one. 

THE   BOARD   TOO   LARGE. 

We  are  of  the  opinion  that  the  Board  is  too  cumbersome 
and  unwieldy,  and  that  its  membership  should  be  reduced 
fully  one-half;  and,  in  order  to  prevent  any  question  of 
favor  to  or  undue  influence  of  any  individual  church, 
there  should  not  be  elected  to  the  Board  more  than  two 
members — the  pastor  and  one  elder — from  the  same 
church. 

EXECUTIVE   OFFICERS   NOT  TO   BE   MEMBERS. 

We  are  also  of  the  opinion  that,  while  the  heads  of  the 
respective  departments  should  have  the  right  to  present 
their  views  and  their  work  personally  to  the  Board,  and  to 
be  subject  to  its  call  for  any  information  at  any  time,  it  is 
an  unwise  policy  to  permit  the  executive  officers  or 
employes  of  the  Board  to  be  members  thereof  with  power 
to  vote. 

COMMITTEES   OF   PRESBYTERIES,  ETC.,  CONSOLIDATED. 

We  also  recommend  that  the  Synodical  and  Presbyte- 
rial  Committees  on  Publication  and  Sabbath-Schools  be 
consolidated  under  the  name  of  "  Publication  and  Sabbath- 


190  BOARD    OF   PUBLICATION 

School  Committee,"  so  that  the  whole  work  may  receive 
the  undivided  attention  of  efficient  Committees  in  all. 
Presbyteries,  Synods  and  the  General  Assembly. 

BOARD   GIVEN  EVE:NING   AT   ASSEMBLIES. 

We  also  recommend  that  the  evening  of  the  second  day 
of  the  meeting  of  the  Assembly  be  devoted  to  the  whole 
work  of  this  Board  rather  than  restricted  to  Sabbath- 
schools.  By  so  doing  the  Board  will  be  given  a  place  of 
equality  with  the  other  Boards  of  the  Church,  and  the 
advocates  of  its  work  be  given  an  opportunity  which  they 
do  not  now  enjoy  of  addressing  popular  meetings  at  the 
General  Assembly.  The  subjects  are  so  closely  related 
that  they  can  be  considered  jointly  with  profit.  We  think 
that  a  reorganization  of  this  Board  on  the  foregoing  prin- 
ciples, and  a  strict  obedience  on  the  part  of  the  Board  to 
the  General  Assembly's  requirements  and  directions  as 
found  in  its  deliverances,  will  result  in  pushing  the  Board 
to  the  front  rank  which  it  deserves  by  reason  of  the 
importance  of  its  work,  and,  instead  of  being  an  object  of 
criticism  in  the  General  Assembly,  it  will  be  one  of  the 
most  favored  organs  in  the  grand  work  for  the  Master 
in  which  our  beloved  Church  is  engaged.  In  making  these 
suggestions  we  have  not  considered  men,  but  measures, 
believing  that  the  interests  of  the  cause  are  of  far  more 
importance  than  those  of  individuals. 

BESOLUTIONS. 

We  therefore  recommend  the  General  Assembly  to 
adopt  the  following  resolutions: 

1.  The  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication  shall  be  here- 
after designated  and  known  as  the  "  Presbyterian  Board 
of  Publication  and  Sabbath-School  Work,"  and  shall  con- 
sist of  twenty-four  members,  of  whom  twelve  shall  be 
ministers  and  twelve  ruling  elders. 


AND   SABBATH-SCHOOL   WORK.  191 

2.  No  one  shall  serve  as  a  member  of  the  said  Board 
who  is  an  executive  otficer  or  employ^  of  said  Board  or  a 
member  of  any  other  benevolent  Board  of  the  Church ; 
and  no  more  than  one  ruling  elder  from  the  same  congre- 
gation shall  serve  on  said  Board  at  the  same  time. 

3.  This  General  Assembly  shall  elect  as  members  of  the 
Board  of  Publication  and  Sabbath-School  Work  four 
ministers  and  four  ruling  elders  who  shall  serve  for  one 
year,  four  ministers  and  four  ruling  elders  who  shall  serve 
for  two  years,  four  ministers  and  four  ruling  elders  who 
shall  serve  for  three  years,  from  the  third  Tuesday  of  June, 
1887 ;  and  each  succeeding  General  Assembly  shall  elect 
four  ministers  and  four  ruling  elders  to  serve  for  three 
years  thereafter.  In  case  this  recommendation  is  adopted 
by  the  General  Assembly,  we  recommend  that  the  Standing 
Committee  on  Publication  be  directed  to  nominate  mem- 
bers of  the  Board  herein  provided  for.  Members  of  the 
Board  thus  elected  shall  meet  for  organization  at  the 
Publication  House  at  Philadelphia  on  the  third  Tuesday 
of  June,  1887;  and  when  such  organization  shall  have 
been  effected,  the  membership  of  the  Board  as  at  present 
constituted  shall  terminate.  For  the  purpose  of  effecting 
such  organization,  a  majority  of  the  members-elect  shall 
constitute  a  quorum. 

4.  The  annual  collection  heretofore  taken  up  in  the 
churches  for  the  benefit  of  this  Board  shall  hereafter  be 
known  as  the  collection  for  Sabbath-school  Work,  and  be  so 
designated  in  the  Minutes  of  the  Assembly. 

6.  The  Sabbath-school  and  colportage  work  shall  be 
consolidated  in  one  department,  subject  to  the  supervision 
and  control  of  an  officer  who  shall  be  designated  the 
''Superintendent  of  Sabbath-School  and  Missionary 
Work."  The  editorial  work  of  the  Board  shall  be  orga- 
nized in  another  department,  under  the  supervisory  con- 
trol and  care  of  an  officer  who  shall  be  designated  as  the 


192  BOARD    OF    PUBLICATION 

**  Editorial  Superintendent."  The  general  business  inter- 
ests shall  be  organized  into  a  Business  Department,  which 
shall  be  under  the  supervisory  control  of  an  officer  who 
shall  be  designated  the  "  Business  Superintendent."  All 
these  officers  shall  be  appointed  by  and  their  duties  defined 
by  the  Board,  as  may  be  directed  in  the  By-laws. 

6.  Standing  Committees  shall  be  appointed  or  elected 
by  the  Board,  to  be  known  as  the  "  Sabbath-School  and 
Missionary  Committee,"  the  "  Editorial  Committee"  and 
the  ''Business  Committee,"  which  shall  have  charge  of 
their  respective  departments  under  such  rules  and  regula- 
tions as  the  Board  may  by  By-laws  establish ;  provided 
that  the  Board  shall  have  power  to  appoint  any  other 
Committee  which  shall  be  deemed  necessary  for  the  proper 
conduct  of  its  business. 

7.  The   present  executive  officers   shall  be  continued 

in  the  following  positions — to  wit :  ^  as  Secretary ; 

Rev.  James  A.  Worden,  D.  D.,  as  Superintendent  of  Sab- 
bath-School and  Missionary  Work  ;  Rev.  J.  R.  Miller,  D.  D., 
as  Editorial  Superintendent;  and  John  A.  Black,  Esq.,  as 
Business  Superintendent — until  their  successors  are  ap- 
pointed by  the  Board,  each  in  charge  of  his  own  depart- 
ment, subject  to  such  rules  and  regulations,  with  such 
powers,  as  the  Board  may  from  time  to  time  prescribe 
through  By-laws,  in  harmony  with  the  general  principles 
herein  laid  down. 

8.  The  Board  shall  elect  a  Secretary  of  the  Board,  who 
shall  be  its  chief  executive  officer,  and  shall  have  general 
supervisory  control  of  all  the  officers  herein  named,  subject 
to  an  appeal  to  the  Board  itself. 

9.  All  By-laws  of  the  Board  now  in  force  not  in  conflict 
with  the  principles  herein  laid  down  are  hereby  continued 
in  force  until  altered,  amended  or  repealed  by  the  Board* 

*  Note.— In  the  report  adopted  by  the  Committee  this  blank  was  filled 
by  the  name  of  the  Kev.  John  W.  Dulles,  D.  D.,  now  deceased. 


AND  SABBATH-SCHOOL    WORK.  193 

All  such  as  conflict  with  the  principles  herein  stated  are 
repealed. 

10.  The  Board  is  directed  to  organize  its  work  in  accord- 
ance with  the  plans  herein  set  forth  on  the  third  Tuesday 
of  June,  1887,  or  as  soon  thereafter  as  possible,  and  to 
report  its  action  to  the  next  General  Assembly. 

11.  This  General  Assembly  directs  the  consolidation  of 
the  Presbyterial  and  Synodical  Committees  of  Publication 
and  Sabbath-School  Work,  to  the  end  that  this  work, 
which  has  heretofore  been  under  the  supervision  of  two 
Committees,  shall  be  committed  to  the  care  of  one,  and 
earnestly  enjoins  that  in  the  appointment  of  such  Com- 
mittees care  be  taken  to  secure  members  who  will  actively 
enter  into  and  push  this  great  work. 

12.  That  the  standing  orders  of  the  General  Assembly 
be  so  amended  as  to  provide  that  the  public  meeting  held 
on  the  second  day  of  the  Assembly's  meeting  shall  be  in 
the  interests  of  the  "  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication 
and  Sabbath-School  Work." 

All  of  which  is  respectfully  submitted. 

George  H.  Shields, 
George  P.  Hays, 
Elijah  R.  Craven, 
E.  C.  Ray, 

Franklin  L.  Sheppard, 
William  M.  Tenney, 


Committee. 


The  General  Assembly  subsequently,  by  a  unanimous 
vote,  adopted  the  Report  of  its  Standing  Committee  on 
Publication,  of  which  the  following  recommendations 
formed  a  part : 

1.  That  the  Assembly  is  gratified  by  the  success  which 
has  attended  the  Board's  work  during  the  past  year  amid 
13 


19-4  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION 

circumstances  of  difficulty  and  discouragement,  and  asks 
in  behalf  of  this  important  arm  of  our  Church  a  generous 
confidence  and  support. 

2.  That  in  the  judicious  extension  of  its  business  the 
Board  be  recommended  to  pursue  the  policy  of  occupying 
the  commercial  centres  of  the  country,  so  far  as  it  can 
be  done  without  interfering  with  the  business  relations 
already  established. 

3.  That  the  Board  be  encouraged  to  render  its  business 
profitable  so  far  as  a  wise  conservation  of  its  work  may 
permit,  and  that  it  be  directed  to  place  two-thirds  of  its 
net  profits  annually  to  the  credit  of  the  Sabbath-School 
and  Missionary  Department. 

4.  That  in  the  work  of  the  Sabbath -School  and 
Missionary  Department,  as  previously  declared  by  the 
Assembly,  the  main  emphasis  is  to  be  laid  upon  Sabbath- 
school  Work  and  religious  visitation  among  the  spiritually 
destitute ;  and  the  selling  of  books,  while  still  continued 
so  far  as  it  can  be  usefully  done,  is  to  be  in  all  cases 
strictly  subsidiary  to  these  more  directly  benevolent  and 
religious  labors. 

5.  That  as  an  expression  of  this  policy  the  field-agents 
of  this  Board  shall  hereafter  be  designated  "  Sabbath- 
School  Missionaries  of  the  Board  of  Publication." 

6.  That,  inasmuch  as  the  extension  of  the  Board's  work 
herein  contemplated  requires  the  appointment  of  mission- 
aries of  high  character  and  ability,  their  qualifications  for 
the  work  should  be  judiciously  weighed  and  their  selection 
and  appointment  carefully  made  by  the  Board.  No  mis- 
sionary of  the  Board  shall  labor  within  the  bounds  of  a 
Presbytery  except  with  the  approval  and  under  the  super- 
vision of  the  Presbytery  or  its  appropriate  committee. 

7.  That  the  Board  be  recommended  to  revise  its  statis- 
tical blanks  in  such  a  way  as  will  more  satisfactorily  show 


AND   SABBATH-SCHOOL   WORK.  195 

the  nature  and  results  of  the  work  of  its  Sabbath-school 
missionaries. 

8.  That  the  Board  be  directed  to  arrange  for  the  attend- 
ance of  the  Business  Superintendent  and  the  Superintend- 
ent of  Sabbath-School  and  Missionary  Work  at  sessions 
of  the  General  Assembly,  in  order  that  they  may  furnish 
to  the  Assembly  or  to  its  Standing  Committee  such  in- 
formation as  may  be  desirable  concerning  the  interests 
committed  to  their  charge. 

9.  That,  in  view  of  the  enlarged  scope  and  importance 
which  the  work  of  this  Board  is  about  to  assume,  not  less 
than  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  should  be  contributed 
to  its  use  during  the  coming  year,  and  that  pastors  and 
elders  be  requested  to  inform  themselves  more  fully  as  to 
the  needs  and  work  of  the  Board,  in  order  that  special 
eflforts  be  made  by  church  Sessions  to  secure  liberal  gifts 
for  this  purpose. 

10.  That  the  plans  of  the  Board  for  the  observance  of 
"  Children's  Day  "  be  approved,  and  that  Sabbath-schools 
be  urged  to  adopt  them  so  far  as  practicable,  and  to  take 
up  a  collection  on  that  day  for  the  benefit  of  the  Board. 

In  pursuance  of  the  direction  of  the  General  Assembly 
to  nominate  members  of  the  "Presbyterian  Board  of 
Publication  and  Sabbath-School  Work,"  the  Standing 
Committee  recommends  the  election  of  the  following 
persons  : 

To  Serve  for  One    Year  from   the    Third   Tuesday  of 
June,  1887. 

MINISTERS.  ELDERS. 

Rev.  Wm.  Brenton  Greene,  Jr.,       Edward  P.  Borden, 
Rev.  Loyal  Young  Graham,  D.D.,  Archibald  Mclntyre, 
Rev.  Wm.  Dayton  Roberts,  D.  D.,  William  Wood, 
Rev.  Robert  H.  Fulton,  D.  D.,      William  L.  Du  Bois. 


196  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION 

To  Serve  for  Two  Years  from  that  Date. 

MINISTERS.  ELDERS. 

Eev.  Charles  A.  Dickey,  D.  D.,  Eobert  H.  Hinckley, 

Rev.  Robert  M.  Patterson,  D.  D.,  William  L.  Mactier, 

Rev.  John  S.  Sands,  D.  D.,  William  Brockie, 

Rev.  Charles  Wood,  Charles  H.  Biles. 

To  Serve  for  Three   Years  from  that  Bate. 

Rev.  William  P.  Breed,  D.  D.,      Samuel  C.  Perkins, 
Rev.  Henry  C.  McCook,  D.  D  ,      George  S.  Graham, 
Rev.  Benjamin  L.  Agnew,  D.  D.,  John  Scott, 
Rev.  Thomas  A.  Hoyt,  D.  D.,        Robert  N.  Willson. 

The  General  Assembly  also  adopted  the  following 
resolutions : 

Resolved,  That  this  General  Assembly  heartily  approves 
of  the  action  of  the  Board  of  Publication  in  electing  the 
Rev.  Elijah  R.  Craven,  D.  D.,  as  Secretary  of  the  Board, 
and  expresses  the  hope  that  he  may  accept  the  appoint- 
ment. 

Besolved,  That  the  Board  of  Publication  be  requested  to 
take  such  legal  steps  as  may  be  necessary  to  have  the  cor- 
porate name  of  the  Trustees  changed  to  correspond  with 
the  name  of  the  Board  as  adopted  by  this  Assembly. 

THE   NEW   BOARD. 

The  members  of  the  Board  thus  elected  met  for 
organization  at  the  Publication  House,  June  21,  1887. 
The  following  officers  were  unanimously  elected : 

President. — Rev.  William  P.  Breed,  D.  D. 

Vice-President. — Hon.  Robert  N.  Willson. 

Secretary. — Rev.  Elijah  R.  Craven,  D.  D. 


AND   SABBATH-SCHOOL   WORK.  197 

Sabbath-School  and  Missionary  Superintendent. — Rev. 
James  A.  Worden,  D.  D. 

Editorial  Superintendent. — Rev.  J.  R.  Miller,  D.  D. 

Business  Superintendent. — John  A.  Black. 

Recording  Clerk. — Rev.  Willard  M.  Rice,  D.  D. 

Treasurer. — Samuel  D.  Powel. 

Each  of  these  officers,  with  the  exception  of  the 
Secretary,  had  been  long  in  the  service  of  the  Board. 
Dr.  Craven,  as  already  noticed,  was  elected  General 
Secretary  to  fill  the  vacancy  occasioned  by  the  death 
of  the  Rev.  John  W.  Dulles,  D,  D.,  and  the  General 
Assembly  of  1887  unanimously  approved  the  choice. 
A  member  of  the  Joint  Committee  of  Ten  upon  whose 
report  the  Board  was  organized  at  the  Reunion  in 
1870,  and  of  the  Committee  of  Seven  whose  plan  of 
reorganization  was  adopted  by  the  Assembly  of  1887, 
he  was  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  history  of  the 
Board  and  in  hearty  sympathy  with  its  work.  For 
thirty-three  years  pastor  of  the  Third  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Newark,  New  Jersey,  repeatedly  a  member 
of  the  General  Assembly  and  its  Modei-ator  in  1885, 
and  also  chairman  of  the  Committee  on  the  Revision 
of  the  Book  of  Discipline,  he  was  well  known  through- 
out the  Church,  and  his  election  gave  universal  satis- 
faction. 

Mr.  Powel  departed  this  life  August  24,  1887,  and 
October  6  the  Rev.  Charles  T.  McMullin  was  elected 
as  his  successor. 

The  work  of  the  Board  was  at  once  arranged  in  the 
three  departments  directed  by  the  General  Assembly 
— namely,   the   Sabbath-School   and   Missionary,   the 


198  BOARD    OF    PUBLICATION 

Editorial  and  the  Business — and  Committees  on  all 
these  departments  were  appointed.  A  code  of  By-lav/s 
was  as  speedily  as  possible  prepared  and  adopted,  in 
accordance  with  the  plans  set  forth  in  the  Report  of 
the  Special  Committee  to  the  General  Assembly. 

I.    THE    SABBATH-SCHOOL    AND    MISSIONARY     DEPART- 
MENT. 

In  this  department  are  consolidated  two  departments 
that  existed  previous  to  the  reorganization  of  the 
Board  by  the  General  Assembly  of  1887 — namely, 
the  Sabbath-School  and  the  Missionary  (or  Colportage) 
departments.     Its  functions  are  four : 

1.  The  appointment  and  superintendence  of  the 
Sabbath-school  missionaries.  This,  in  view  of  the 
special  work  assigned  to  these  missionaries  and  the 
superior  qualifications  demanded  of  them  by  the  re- 
organizing act,  is  a  most  delicate  and  important  task. 

The  Assembly  declared  that  the  effective  prosecution 
of  the  work  contemplated  required  the  appointment 
of  missionaries  of  high  character  and  ability.  In 
carrying  out  this  instruction  the  Board  notified  all 
the  colporteurs  in  its  employ  that  their  services  would 
be  dispensed  with  on  the  expiration  of  their  existing 
commission,  reserving  to  itself,  however,  the  right  of 
recommissioning  any  whom  it  might  select.  In  view 
of  the  great  debt  resting  upon  the  Missionary  Fund  at 
the  beginning  of  the  fiscal  year,  the  Board  proceeded 
slowly  in  the  appointment  of  missionaries.  Where 
important  interests  are  involved,  it  is  far  better  to  lay 
deep  and  solid  foundations  than  to  strive  after  imme- 


AND   SABBATH-SCHOOL    WORK.  199 

diate  results.  Encouraged  by  the  large  increase  in  con- 
tributions, the  Board  gradually  increased  the  number 
of  missionaries,  until  now  (1889)  there  .are  thirty-four 
in  various  parts  of  the  field,  all  doing  active  and 
efficient  service  in  the  cause.  Fifty-six  students  of 
the  junior  classes  of  our  Theological  Seminaries  were 
commissioned  as  missionaries  during  the  long  summer 
vacation  of  1888.  It  was  found  that  blessed  results, 
both  to  the  young  men  themselves  and  to  the  mission- 
ary w^ork  of  the  Church,  followed  these  appointments. 
The  Board  was  so  well  satisfied  with  the  success  of 
these  student-missionaries  that  it  commissioned  and 
sent  out  more  than  seventy  junior  students  for  the 
summer  of  1889. 

2.  A  second  function  of  this  department  is  the  dis- 
tribviion  of  the  Board's  literature  by  grants  and  mission- 
ary sales.  Great  care  is  exercised  in  making  grants  to 
churches  and  schools  lest  they  should  be  injured  by 
receiving  aid  before  having  done  all  in  their  power  to 
purchase  their  own  supplies.  None  are  refused  when 
there  is  reason  to  believe  they  have  taxed  them- 
selves to  the  extent  of  their  ability  or  that  they  are 
totally  unable  to  purchase.  The  Sabbath-school  mis- 
sionaries are  instructed  to  sell,  not  for  any  business 
considerations,  but  to  make  their  sales  subsidiary  to 
their  more  distinctively  religious  and  Sabbath-school 
work. 

3.  Another  function  of  this  department  is  the  elevation 
and  improvement  of  the  Sabbath-school  Work  of  our 
Church.  The  effort  is  made  to  accomplish  this  result 
by  various  modes,  the  principal  of  which  are : 


200  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION 

(1)  Visits  by  the  Superintendent  to  particular 
schools  and  to  Presbyterial  and  Synodical  institutes 
and  conventions.  Though  the  chief  portion  of  the 
time  of  the  Superintendent  is  engrossed  by  office- work, 
he  has  also  devoted  no  little  labor  to  these  field-duties, 
delivering  addresses  and  lectures,  presenting  practical 
methods  of  Sabbath-school  work,  and  inciting  to  more 
diligent  study  of  standard  works  of  the  Scriptures. 

(2)  Missionary  letters  to  contributing  schools.  Each 
Sabbath-school  that  sends  to  the  Board  a  contribution 
is  assigned  as  a  part-support  to  some  missionary,  from 
whom  it  receives  a  quarterly  letter.  Nearly  one-half 
of  our  Sabbath-schools  are  now  (1889)  in  the  receipt 
of  such  letters.  This  arrangement  has  been  productive 
of  most  excellent  results  in  increasing  the  knowledge 
of  our  scholars  concerning  missionary  work,  and  in 
exciting  an  active  interest  therein. 

(3)  Prize  Bibles  for  reciting  the  Shorter  Catechism. 
During  the  latter  part  of  1887  the  Board  offered  such 
a  prize  to  every  one  of  the  youth  of  our  churches  and 
Sabbath-schools  who  should  be  certified  as  having 
committed  to  memory  and  recited  correctly  the  Cate- 
chism during  the  year  ending  December  1,  1887. 
Subsequently  the  offer  was  renewed,  and  it  is  still  in 
force.  The  responses  have  been  so  prompt  and  numer- 
ous as  to  manifest  that  there  has  been  a  revival  of 
the  study  of  the  Catechism  throughout  the  Church. 
On  the  thirty-first  day  of  March,  1889,  three  thousand 
one  hundred  and  five  responses  had  been  received,  and 
the  same  number  of  Bibles  awarded.  These  have 
been  given  not  only  in  English,  but  also  in  German, 


AND  SABBATH-SCHOOL   WORK.  201 

French,  Spanish  and  Chinese,  and  in  one  of  the 
dialects  of  India. 

(4)  The  fourth  function  of  this  department  is  the 
collection  and  presentation  of  Sabbath-school  statistics 
to  the  General  Assembly.  The  department  has  prose- 
cuted this  work  with  great  earnestness  and  with  very 
gratifying  results.  For  several  years  past  a  summary 
of  these  statistics  has  been  published  in  the  Appendix 
to  the  Assembly's  Minutes. 

All  matters  pertaining  to  Sabbath-school  literature 
— the  preparation  and  issue  of  books  for  the  Library, 
of  lesson  helps  and  periodicals — continue,  as  before 
the  reorganization,  under  the  charge  and  supervision 
of  the  Editorial  Department. 

children's  day. 
This  yearly  festival  of  our  Sabbath-schools  has 
become  an  established  institution  of  our  Church.  It 
was  celebrated  on  the  second  Sabbath  of  June,  1887, 
1888  and  1889  as  never  before.  Copies  of  the  Chil- 
dren's Day  exercises  were  sent  free,  in  sufficient 
numbers  for  use,  to  all  Presbyterian  Sabbath-schools 
applying  for  them,  together  with  envelopes  for  the 
contributions  of  scholars.  The  contributions  to  the 
Missionary  Fund  in  1887  were  on  a  liberal  scale,  and 
helped  not  only  to  extinguish  the  large  indebtedness 
with  which  it  was  then  burdened,  but  also  to  send  out 
an  increased  number  of  Sabbath-school  missionaries. 
Nor  was  there  any  falling  off  in  the  liberality  of  the 
schools  in  1888  and  1889,  but  rather  an  increase. 


202  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION 


FRUITS    OF    THE   WORK. 

At  the  end  of  the  Board's  fiscal  year,  March  31, 
1889,  the  number  of  permanent  missionaries  in  com- 
mission was  34.  At  the  same  date  the  number  of 
Sabbath-schools  established  since  the  reorganization 
of  the  Board  was  1021 ;  number  of  scholars  gathered 
into  these  schools,  32,427  ;  number  of  volumes  distrib- 
uted, 76,104 ;  pages  of  tracts  and  periodicals  distrib- 
uted, 10,944,478 ;  number  of  Bibles  given  for  reciting 
the  Shorter  Catechism,  3105. 

Sabbath-school  mission-work  is  one  of  the  most 
economical  and  effective  means  of  evangelizing  the 
unreached  millions  in  the  land.  The  quickest  and 
cheapest  way  to  build  up  churches  in  new  or  god- 
less districts  is  to  establish  mission  Sabbath-schools. 
Already  several  churches  have  grown  out  of  the 
schools  reported  above,  and  there  is  a  fair  prospect 
that  many  more  will  at  no  distant  day  be  organized. 
There  are  hundreds  of  our  churches — and  among  them 
some  of  the  strongest — that  trace  back  their  origin  to 
such  schools.  The  Church  that  now  gathers  the  chil- 
dren will  be  the  Church  of  the  future.  The  blessing 
of  Christ  will  rest  upon  those  who  care  for  the  little 
ones.  The  Board  is  fully  impressed  with  the  import- 
ance of  this  department  of  its  work,  and  will  in  the 
future,  as  in  the  past,  prosecute  it  to  the  extent  of  the 
ability  given  it  by  the  Church. 

II.     THE    EDITORIAL    DEPARTMENT. 

This  department  has  charge  of  all  the  publications 


AND   SABBATH-SCHOOL.   WORK.  203 

of  the  Board,  so  far  as  their  subject-matter  is  con- 
cerned.    It  has  three  functions : 

1.  It  selects  from  the  mass  of  manuscripts  that  are 
offered  for  books,  tracts  and  leaflets  those  that,  in  its 
judgment,  it  will  be  proper  to  publish. 

2.  It  prepares  by  the  pens  of  its  editorial  staff*  and 
by  selection  from  offered  articles  the  various  lesson 
helps  and  periodicals  that  are  sent  forth  for  the  assist- 
ance of  the  Sabbath -school  teachers  and  the  instruction 
of  the  scholars  of  the  Church. 

3.  It  prepares  for  the  press  and  looks  after  the 
typographical  correctness  of  all  that  it  determines  to 
publish.  There  are  few  manuscripts  that  are  offered 
for  publication,  however  excellent  may  be  their  matter, 
that  do  not  need  amendment,  trimming  and  pruning, 
and  sometimes  amplification.  This  work  must  be 
carefully  performed  by  the  Editorial  Superintendent 
personally  or  by  experts  under  his  direction  and  super- 
vision. But  the  work  is  not  yet  completed.  Even 
after  the  manuscripts  have  been  most  carefully  pre- 
pared and  the  type  has  been  set  by  the  most  skillful 
compositors  (the  Board  does  not,  and  will  not  from  any 
ideas  of  false  economy,  employ  any  but  skillful  work- 
men), errors  will  be  found  in  the  print  which  require 
for  their  correction  most  careful  proofreading. 

Since  the  reorganization  of  the  Board  the  work  of 
this  department  has  been  increasingly  arduous.  A 
very  large  number  of  manuscripts  have  been  examined, 
the  great  majority  of  which  have  been  declined.  Not 
a  little  editorial  labor  has  been  expended  upon  those 
that  have  been  approved  and  published.     During  the 


204  BOAKD   OF   PUBLICATION 

two  years  ending  March  31,  1889,  there  were  added  to 
the  Catalogue  the  titles  of  sixty-five  publications,  of 
which  forty-five  were  bound  volumes.  Meanwhile,  ten 
lesson  helps  and  illustrated  periodicals  have  been 
edited  and  regularly  issued,  to  which  the  Editorial 
Superintendent  has  contributed  a  large  amount  of 
valuable  original  matter.  No  change  has  been  made  in 
the  form  of  any  of  the  periodicals,  nor  have  any  new 
ones  been  added  to  the  number.  The  effort  has  been 
to  elevate  their  tone  and  character,  and-thus  to  give 
them  a  higher  moral  and  intellectual  value.  Their 
constantly-increasing  circulation  would  indicate  that 
these  efforts  have  not  been  unsuccessful.  It  is  believed 
that  not  one  of  these  periodical  issues  could  be  dropped 
from  the  list  without  serious  loss  to  our  Sabbath-schools 
and  to  the  Church. 

It  is  impossible  to  calculate  the  value  of  the  work 
done  on  these  various  books,  tracts,  lesson  helps  and 
periodicals,  or  their  influence  as  they  go  out  with  their 
pure,  bright  and  helpful  pages,  bearing  holy,  helpful 
thoughts  and  teachings.  It  cannot  but  be  that  vast 
good  is  accomplished  by  their  ministry,  the  results  of 
which  can  never  be  known  in  this  life. 

III.     BUSINESS    DEPARTMENT. 

No  change  was  made  in  this  department  at  the  re- 
organization of  the  Board.     It  has  three  functions : 

1.  It  has  charge  of  all  the  property  of  the  Board. 
It  cares  for  the  Publication  House — its  repair,  its 
lighting  and  heating,  and  the  renting  of  such  of  its 
rooms  as  are  not  required  for  the  use  of  the  Board. 


AND  SABBATH-SCHOOL   WORK.  205 

2.  It  has  charge  of  the  mechanical  part  of  publica- 
tion. The  Board  does  not  manufacture  its  own  paper, 
nor  does  it  execute  its  own  printing,  stereotyping  or 
binding.  Very  early  in  the  history  of  the  publication 
work  of  both  branches  of  the  divided  Church  the 
question  of  such  manufacture  was  carefully  considered 
by  able  and  experienced  men  then  in  charge  of  these 
interests,  and  the  present  policy  was  unanimously 
decided  upon.  At  the  Reunion  the  question  again 
came  up,  and  the  same  decision  was  again  reached. 
The  Joint  Committee  of  Ten,  in  its  Report  to  the 
General  Assembly  of  the  reunited  Church  in  1870, 
gave  expression  to  its  opinion  thus :  "  It  is  not,  in  our 
view,  essential  that  large  sums  be  invested  in  the 
machinery  of  publication,  such  as  presses  and  bind- 
eries. The  use  of  this  machinery  can  be  commanded 
without  purchase."  The  question  has  been  repeatedly 
mooted  since,  but  the  Board  has  adhered  to  its  long- 
established  policy.  The  Business  Department  purchases 
all  the  paper  used  in  the  manufacture  of  books  and 
periodicals,  and  it  makes  contracts  for  printing,  stereo- 
typing and  binding. 

In  addition  to  printing  the  publications  of  the 
Board,  this  Department  also  prints  The  Church  at 
Home  and  Abroad,  for  the  preparation  of  the  matter 
of  which  the  Board  is  not  responsible. 

3.  It  places  the  publications  upon  the  market.  This 
is  done  by  advertising  in  the  leading  papers  of  our 
own  and  sister  denominations,  and  through  the  agency 
of  the  home  depository  in  Philadelphia  and  of  twenty- 
three  branch  houses  and  depositories,  nineteen  of  which 


i^06  BOAKD   OF   PUBLICATION 

are  in  this  country  and  four  in  Great  Britain  and 
Canada.  This  plan  was  adopted  by  the  Board  after 
careful  consideration.  It  has  again  and  again  been 
reported  to  the  General  Assembly,  and  has  always 
met  with  the  unqualified  approbation  of  that  body. 
In  relation  to  both  books  and  periodicals,  the  Sab- 
bath-school missionaries  exercise  an  important  influence 
in  bringing  them  to  the  notice  of  those  who  dwell  in 
the  sparsely-settled  sections  of  the  land. 

REDUCTION    OF   PRICE. 

Since  the  reorganization  the  price  of  all  the  octavo 
publications  of  the  Board,  with  the  exception  of  the 
Digest,  has  been  reduced  to  one  dollar  and  twenty- 
five  cents  per  volume  net,  and  postage.  Among  the 
volumes  thus  reduced  in  price  are  some  of  the  most 
valuable  publications  of  the  Board.  It  is  probable 
that  no  set  of  books  of  like  value  is  now  offered  to  the 
reading  community  at  so  fair  a  price ;  and  we  may 
here  say  that  careful  examination  and  comparison,  re- 
peatedly and  extensively  made,  shows  that  the  publi- 
cations of  the  Board,  as  a  whole,  compare  favorably, 
both  in  quality  of  manufacture  and  in  price,  with  those 
of  any  of  our  publishing  houses. 

NEW    PUBLICATIONS. 

We  have  already  noted  that  the  Descriptive  Cata- 
logue issued  by  the  Board  soon  after  the  Reunion 
contained  the  titles  of  two  thousand  two  hundred  and 
eighty  separate  publications.  From  year  to  year  valu- 
able additions  of  books  and  tracts  were  made  to  it, 


AND   SABBATH-SCHOOL   WORK.  207 

especially  in  the  department  of  Sabbath-school  litera- 
ture, increasing  the  sum  total  of  publications  to  two 
thousand  nine  hundred  and  fifteen.  Continued  caution 
and  vigilance  was  exercised,  lest  at  any  time  its  press 
should  send  forth  publications  casting  the  slightest 
doubts  upon  the  divine  authority  and  plenary  inspi- 
ration of  the  Bible,  or  upon  the  divinity  and  atoning 
death  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  or  upon  the  fact  of 
man's  utter  ruin  by  sin  and  his  absolute  need  of  re- 
demption through  the  blood  shed  upon  the  cross,  or 
in  any  particular  at  variance  with  the  Standards  of 
our  Church.  We  believe  that  the  publications  of  the 
Board  will  bear  the  closest  scrutiny  in  these  respects. 
In  literary  style,  in  their  adaptation  to  the  wants  of 
the  times,  and  in  their  treatment  of  living  topics  of  the 
day,  they  are,  to  say  the  least,  fully  equal  to  the  issues 
of  any  of  the  publication  houses,  whether  religious  or 
secular,  in  our  country. 

CAPITAL  STOCK. 

This  at  the  Reunion  in  1870  amounted  to  $417,282.18 ; 
it  is,  as  reported  March  31, 1889,  $504,250.36. 

To  some  it  may  seem  that  in  proportion  to  so  large 
an  amount  of  capital  the  business  annually  transacted 
has  been  contracted  and  the  net  profits  small. 

In  reference  to  the  amount  of  capital,  it  may  be 
said  that  much  of  what  is  so  reported  is  unproductive. 
It  consists  of  books  in  the  library  ;  of  stereotype  plates 
of  books  for  which  there  is  very  little  demand ;  of 
printed  sheets  of  books  and  tracts  that  cannot  in  any 
considerable  degree  be  placed  at  once  upon  the  market ; 


208  BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION 

of  investments  in  periodicals  that  have  not  yet  reached 
a  paying  basis ;  and  also  of  real  estate.  The  reported 
value  of  the  Publication  House  is  upward  of  one 
hundred  and  fifty-two  thousand  dollars.  From  portions 
of  this  house  not  used  by  the  Board  a  large  rent  would 
naturally  be  expected  by  those  not  acquainted  with  the 
facts.  In  compliance,  however,  with  the  well-known 
wish  and  intent  of  the  donors,  offices  free  of  charge  are 
granted  to  the  different  Boards  of  the  Church  located 
in  Philadelphia.  The  rent  value  of  these  rooms,  to- 
gether with  their  heating  and  care,  cannot  be  less 
than  eight  thousand  dollars  per  annnm.  In  reference 
to  such  rooms — the  value  of  which  is  included  in  its 
capital — the  Board  acts  as  a  trustee  in  the  interests  of 
the  benevolent  operations  of  the  Church  at  large. 

As  to  the  matter  of  profits,  it  should  be  remembered 
that  the  object  for  which  the  Board  was  established 
was  not  the  making  of  money,  but  the  production  of 
religious  literature  and  its  distribution  at  the  lowest 
remunerative  rates.  It  may  also  be  said  that  the 
Board,  by  the  very  nature  of  its  work,  is  precluded 
from  the  publication  of  those  classes  of  books  which 
are  most  generally  salable  and  on  which  the  largest 
profits  are  made,  and,  still  further,  that  many  of  its 
publications  which  are  of  exceeding  value  to  the 
Church,  and  especially  to  the  ministry,  yield  little  or 
no  profit,  and  some  of  them  are  published  at  a  loss. 

Probably  the  active  capital  of  the  Board  does  not 
exceed  two  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  even  this 
amount,  in  view  of  the  necessary  line  of  the  Board's 
operations,  cannot  be  used  for  the  accretion  of  profits 


AND   SABBATH-SCHOOL   WORK.  209 

with  aught  approaching  the  power  with  which  it  might 
be  employed  by  an  ordinary  business  publisher. 

DEATH  OF  THE  REV.  W.  P.  BREED,  D.  D.,  PRESI- 
DENT OF  THE  BOARD. 

Just  as  the  preceding  pages  were  ready  for  the 
press  the  Board  met  with  a  severe  loss  in  the  death  of 
its  President,  the  Rev.  William  P.  Breed,  D.  D.,  Pastor 
Emeritus  of  the  West  Spruce  Street  Church,  Philadel- 
phia, which  occurred  February  14,  1889. 

Dr.  Breed  was  elected  a  member  of  the  Board  by 
the  General  Assembly  of  1855.  In  1874  he  became 
one  of  its  Vice-Presidents,  and  in  1875  he  was  elected 
President — an  office  which  he  continued  to  hold  until 
his  death. 

Dr.  Breed  was  during  these  thirty-four  years  one  of 
the  most  active  and  efficient  members  of  the  Board, 
seldom  absent  from  its  meetings,  always  and  every- 
where its  warm-hearted  and  able  advocate.  At  a 
special  meeting,  held  February  16,  the  Board  unani- 
mously adopted  the  following  resolutions : 

Resolved,  That  a  Committee  of  Three  be  appointed  to 
prepare  a  Minute  expressive  of  the  views  of  the  Board  in 
reference  to  the  death  of  its  President,  the  Rev.  W.  P. 
Breed,  D.  D.,  to  report  at  the  next  meeting  of  the  Board. 

Resolved,  That  as  a  testimonial  of  respect  for  his  memory 
the  store  be  closed  during  the  funeral  services  on  Monday 
from  ten  to  one  o'clock,  and  that  the  members,  officers 
and  employes  of  the  Board  attend  the  funeral  services. 

Resolved,  That  in  further  respect  to  his  memory  the 
office  of  President  be  kept  vacant  until  the  coming  annual 
U 


210   PUBLICATION  AND   SABBATH-SCHOOL  WORK. 

meeting  of  the  Board,  the  Vice-President  in  the  mean  time 
acting  as  President  joro  tern. 

At  the  Stated  Meeting  of  the  Board,  February  26, 
the  Committee  presented  the  following  Minute,  which 
was  unanimously  adopted : 

This  Board  deeply  laments  the  removal  by  death  of  its 
late  President,  Eev.  William  P.  Breed,  D.  D.  His  long 
experience  in  the  cause  of  publication  and  missionary 
distribution  of  religious  literature,  both  before  and  after 
the  Eeunion  of  our  Church,  well  fitted  him  for  the  leader- 
ship of  the  body  to  which  that  cause  was  entrusted.  For 
many  years  he  has  stood  at  our  head,  a  warm,  earnest  and 
intelligent  champion  of  the  work  of  this  Board.  None 
of  us  could  excel  him  in  devotion  to  its  interests ;  few,  if 
any,  gave  so  much  of  thought  and  prayer  for  its  pros- 
perity. His  voice  was  often  raised  in  its  behalf,  and  his 
pen  put  into  language  many  a  vigorous  appeal  for  its 
support. 

As  an  example  to  follow,  and  as  a  stimulus  to  incite,  we 
shall  greatly  miss  his  life  among  us. 

His  presence  and  companionship  were  a  benediction. 
Strong  and  vigorous,  with  manly  qualities,  moved  by  pro- 
found convictions,  earnest  and  bold  in  his  adherence  to 
what  he  believed  to  be  truth  and  duty,  he  was,  also,  a 
tender,  gentle,  courteous,  considerate  Christian  man  whom 
none  knew  but  to  love  and  revere. 

We  have  no  memories  of  him  which  are  not  fragrant 
with  pleasant  thoughts  and  helpful  suggestions  toward  a 
better  life. 

We  lay  him  away  from  sight,  therefore,  not  to  pass  out 
of  memory,  but  ever  to  be  remembered  as  one  of  the  best 
of  friends  and  the  wisest  of  counselors,  as  well  as  a 
beautiful  type  of  a  Christian  man  and  minister. 


APPENDIX 


CHARTER  OF  THE  BOARD. 

An  Act  to  Incorporate  "  The   Trustees  of  the  Presbyterian 
Board  of  Publication" 

Whereas,  The  General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  in  the  United  States  of  America  have  a  Board  of 
Publication,  composed  of  ministers  and  laymen  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  the  design  of  which  is  "  the  publi- 
cation of  such  works,  permanent  or  periodical,  as  are 
adapted  to  promote  sound  learning  and  true  religion ;" 

And  Whereas,  The  aforesaid  Board  of  Publication  labors 
under  serious  disadvantages  as  to  receiving  donations  and 
bequests,  and  as  to  the  management  of  funds  intrusted  to 
them  for  the  purpose  designated  in  their  Constitution,  and 
in  accordance  with  the  benevolent  intentions  of  those 
from  whom  such  bequests  and  donations  are  received; 
Therefore, 

Section  1.  Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of 
Representatives  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania, 
in  General  Assembly  met,  and  it  is  hereby  enacted  by  the 
authority  of  the  same.  That  Matthew  Newkirk,  James  N. 
Dickson,  William  S.  Martien,  James  B.  Ross,  Archibald 
Mclntyre,  Joseph  B.  Mitchell,  Alexander  W.  Mitchell, 

211 


212  APPENDIX. 

M.  D.,  Robert  Soutter,  Jr.,  and  James  Dunlap,  citizens  of 
the  United  States,  and  of  this  Commonwealth,  and  their 
successors,  are  hereby  constituted  and  declared  to  be  a 
body  politic  and  corporate,  which  shall  henceforth  be 
known  by  the  name  of  "  The  Trustees  of  the  Presbyterian 
Board  of  Publication,"*  and  as  such  shall  have  perpetual 
succession,  and  be  able  to  sue  and  be  sued  in  all  courts  of 
record,  and  elsewhere ;  and  to  purchase  and  receive,  take 
and  hold,  to  them  and  their  successors,  for  ever,  lands, 
tenements,  hereditaments,  goods,  money,  and  chattels,  and 
all  kinds  of  estate  which  may  be  devised,  or  bequeathed, 
or  given  to  them ;  and  the  same  to  sell,  alien,  demise,  and 
convey;  also  to  make  a  common  seal,  and  the  same  to 
alter  and  renew  at  their  pleasure ;  and  also  to  make  such 
rules,  by-laws,  and  ordinances,  as  may  be  needful  for  the 
government  of  the  said  corporation,  and  not  inconsistent 
with  the  Constitution  and  laws  of  the  United  States,  and 
of  this  State :  Provided,  always,  That  the  clear  yearly 
income  of  the  real  estate  held  by  the  said  corporation 
shall  not  at  any  time  exceed  the  sum  of  five  thousand 
dollars. 

Sec.  2.  The  Trustees  above  named  shall  hold  their 
ojQ&ces  for  one  year  from  the  date  of  this  incorporation, 
and  until  their  successors  are  duly  qualified  to  take  their 
places ;  who  shall  be  chosen  by  the  aforesaid  Board  of 
Publication,  at  such  times  and  in  such  manner  as  shall  be 
provided  by  the  said  General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  in  the  United  States  of  America,  provided  not 
more  than  one-third  of  the  Trustees  shall  be  removed  in 
any  one  year. 

Sec.  3.  The  Trustees  hereby  incorporated,  and  their 
successors,  shall  (subject  to  the  direction  of  the  said  Board 

♦Title  amended  by  decree  of  Court  of  Common  Pleas  (No.  1)  of  Phil- 
adelphia, November  19, 1887,  to  "The  Trustees  of  the  Presbyterian  Board 
of  Publication  and  Sabbath-School  Work." 


APPENDIX.  213 

of  Publication)  have  full  power  to  manage  the  funds  and 
property  committed  to  their  care,  in  such  manner  as  shall 
be  deemed  most  advantageous,  and  not  contrary  to  law. 

James  Cooper, 
Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives. 

Ch.  Gibbons, 
Speaker  of  the  Senate, 

Approved  the  thirteenth  day  of  February,  one  thousand 
eight  hundred  and  forty-seven. 

FK.  E.  SHUNK. 


214 


APPENDIX. 


PKESBYTEKIAN  BOARD  OF  PUBLICATION. 

CASH   RECEIPTS. 


Year. 


Sales. 


Colporteur 
Fund. 


Distribution 
Fund. 


1839 
1840 
1841 
1842 
1843 
1844 
1845 
1846 
1847 
1848 
1849 
1850 
1851 
1852 
1853 
1854 
1855, 
1856, 
1857 
1858 
1859 
1860, 
1861, 
1862, 
1863, 
1864, 
1865, 
1866, 
1867, 
1868. 
1869. 
1870. 


$982  74 
11,350  89 
15,335  91 
12,050  34 
27,540  07 
33,711  97 
28,205  85 
29,283  58 
34,371  37 
28,527  99 
38,454  29 
58,644  21 
62,551  31 
75,005  55 
83,759  44 
70,654  63 
70,502  28 
92,867  22 
85,573  45 
81,881  45 
93,581  72 
93,054  65 
40,371  96 
50,887  82 
63,081  49 
83,889  30 
97,605  11 
113,907  84 
116,272  02 
113,371  50 
108,341  71 


$1,915,619  66 


$1,021  00 
1,314  07 
1,380  05 
6,212  94 
9,658  69 
15,291  87 
12,188  01 
15,866  27 
14,015  54 
14,497  28 
24,823  62 
21,369  76 
24,817  00 
27,758  39 
28,433  07 
23,171  81 
25,078  35 
28,508  29 
33,815  93 
26,735  72 
28,760  19 
29,005  95 
32,088  88 
36,557  01 


$482,369  69 
46,988  30 


$1,815  14 

1,071  43 

1,031  58 

817  36 

1,147  13 

1,250  00 

725  00 

632  50 

1,879  69 

1,723  00 

1,413  75 

603  08 

1,762  89 

414  11 

164  46 

1,144  92 

1,609  77 

2,406  46 

2,624  05 

4,104  13 

5,017  28 

6,620  40 

3,167  27 

1,685  17 

2,157  73 


$46,988  30 


$529,357  99 


APPENDIX. 


215 


PEESBYTERIAN  PUBLICATION  COMMITTEE. 

Year. 

Cash  for  Sales. 

Grants  of  Books 
and  Tracts. 

1855 

$740  50 

2,258  80 

4,302  14 

3,705  80 

10,873  99 

10,942  95 

11,384  30 

9,296  08 

12,221  83 

17,946  83 

30,005  91 

27,578  03 

37,165  10 

43,666  82 

38,010  18 

43,693  21 

$263  74 
287  91 
1,159  50 
936  64 
1,221  83 
1,660  23 
2,260  16 
4,299  27 
5,500  95 
5,638  86 
6,851  59 
8,880  28 

1856     .  ..; 

1857 

1858 

1859 

I860 

1861     

1862 : 

1863 

1864 

1865 

1866 

1867 

1868 

1869 

1870        

$303,792  47 

$38,960  96 

216 


APPENDIX. 


PEESBYTEEIAN  BOARD  OF  PUBLICATION. 

CASH   EECEIPTS. 


Year. 

Sales. 

Colportage  Fund. 

1871 

$139,539  40 
164,431  82 
157,577  78 
172,524  30 
241,065  44 
229,690  81 
195,028  35 
154,753  06 
145,825  89 
151,577  27 
161,324  53 
180,502  62 
195.420  02 
199,950  58 
217,368  19 
215,142  89 
206,636  87 

$37,919  39 
49,851  82 
55,892  16 
47,798  48 
45,026  83 
52,176  06 
42,638  34 

43.816  30 
44,867  37 
39,232  73 
47,282  30 
55,558  93 
49,983  04 
59,152  07 

68.817  76 
50,894  64 
49,751  29 

1872 

1873 

1874 

1875 

1876 

1877 

1878 

1879 

1880 

1881 

1882... 

1883.. 

1884  

1885 

1886 

1887 

$3,128,359  82 

$840,659  51 

BOARD  OF   PUBLICATION   AND  SABBATH-SCHOOL  WORK. 


Year. 

Sales. 

Sabbath-School 
Work. 

1888 

$217,588  13 
230,236  68 

$73,381  68 
100,024  98 

1889 

$447,824  81 

$173,406  66 

APPENDIX. 


217 


PRESBYTERIAN  BOARD  OF  PUBLICATION. 

COLPORTEUR  WORK. 


Pages  of 

Year. 

No.  of 
Colporteurs. 

Vols.  Sold. 

Vols.  Given. 

Tracts 
Distributed. 

1849 

20 

1850 

63 

1851 

125 

58,492 

5,525 

528,154 

1852 

141 

71,150 

5,506 

581,956 

1853 

145 

87,938 

9,386 

925,172 

1854 

151 

91,885 

9,581 

871,547 

1855 

173 

97,853 

10,780 

1,046,964 

1856 

210 

105,319 

13,544 

1,039,056 

1857 

254 

124,579 

14,802 

2,140,379 

1858 

263 

123,924 

17,905 

1,555,469 

1859 

143 

92,068 

11,184 

1,217,573 

I860 

202 

124,638 

14,920 

2,162,594 

1861 

242 

154,522 

23,733 

2,372,016 

1862 

150 

73,318 

44,311 

3,275,825 

1863 

102 

43,947 

72,299 

2,399,030 

1864 

90 

52,411 

33,857 

1,623,063 

1865 

126 

53,106 

84,989 

2,669,713 

1866 

129 

59,246 

72,505 

1,892,102 

1867 

145 

70,905 

45,995 

1,043,180 

1868 

146 

66,177 

36,721 

996,653 

1869 

155 

62,206 

46,978 

1,931,491 

1870 

156 

49,632 

63,698 

2,733,193 

1,663,316 

638,219 

33,005,130 

GRANTS   BY   THE  EXECUTIVE   COMMITTEE. 


Years. 

Volumes  Given. 

Pages  of  Tracts 
and  Periodicals. 

1839-1847 

10,000 
5,786 
4,524 
5,092 
4,890 
6,517 
6,365 
3,269 

414,741 
250,000 
175,190 
246,337 
381,032 
342,662 
111,873 

1848-1850 

1851  

1852       

1853     

1854 

1855      

1856 

Carried  forward.. 

46,443 

1,921,835 

218 


APPENDIX. 


PEESBYTEKIAN  BOAED  OF  PUBLICATION. 

GRANTS  BY   THE   EXECUTIVE  COMMITTEE       {Continued). 


Year. 


Volumes  Given. 


Pages  of  Tracts 
and  Periodicals. 


Brought  forward. 

1857 

1858 

1859 

1860 

1861 

1862 

1863 

1864 

1865 

1866 

1867 

1868 

1869  \ 

1870/ 


46,443 

3,951 

3.724 

5,345 

6,101 

5,683 
19,329 
26,950 
49,423 
24,688 
21,476 
14,697 
16,255 
Included  in  Col- 
porteur Eeport. 


1,921,835 
162,582 
246,395 
347,138 
413,222 
263,068 
462,326 
683,968 
566,782 
382,653 
225,831 
169,054 
213,195 
Included  in  Col- 
porteur Eeport. 


244,065 


6,058,049 


COLPORTAGE  WORK. 


No.  of 

Pages  of  Tracts 
and  Periodicals 

Sabbath- 

Year, 

Colport- 

Vols. 

Vols. 

Schools 

eurs. 

Sold. 

Given. 

Given. 

Organized. 

1871.... 

129 

38,179 

50,595 

3,166,232 

1872.... 

156 

60,029 

71,864 

3,598,331 

1873.... 

158 

69,483 

54,093 

3,371,106 

1874.... 

136 

71,196 

73,971 

3,132,433 

76 

1875.... 

126 

72,737 

68,271 

4,282,899 

126 

1876.... 

109 

72,904 

46,724 

4,136,412 

96 

1877.... 

98 

67,441 

39,033 

4,274,813 

101 

1878.... 

66 

61,700 

29,445 

4,460,991 

76 

1879.... 

70 

68,160 

27,535 

4,637,626 

90 

1880.... 

65 

73,979 

29,332 

6,242,713 

111 

1881.... 

53 

71,396 

25,057 

4,652,774 

88 

1882.... 

54 

44,948 

21,876 

4,008,838 

78 

1883. .. 

49 

32,139 

33,326 

3,822,800 

72 

1884.... 

84 

34,932 

73,767 

6,692,882 

151 

1885.... 

107 

58,888 

112,453 

9,768,369 

270 

1886.... 

89 

52,344 

78,055 

7,143,060 

167 

1887.... 

51 

22,941 

33,166 

3,984,419 

59 

973,396 

868,563 

81,376,698 

1,561 

APPENDIX. 


219 


BOAKD  OF  PUBLICATION  AND  S.  S.  WOKK. 

MISSIONARY   WORK. 


Year 

Volumes 
Sold. 

Volumes 
Given. 

Bibles  and 

Testaments 

Given. 

Periodicals 

and  Tracts 

Given. 

Sabbath- 
Schools 
Organized. 

1888.. 
1889.. 

10,074 
5,500 

13,033 
47,125 

606 

2,707 

1,051,126 
8,004,325 

73 

948 

15,574 

60,158 

3,313 

9,055,451 

1,021 

GENERAL  SUMMARY. 


Sales. 

Colportage  and 
Missionary  Fund. 

Board    of     Publication, 
1839-1870 

$1,915,619  66 

303,792  47 

3,128,359  82 

447,824  81 

$529,357  99 

38,960  96 

840,659  51 

173,406  66 

Publication     Committee, 
1855-1870 

Board     of     Publication, 
1870-1887 

Board  of  Publication  and 

S.S.  Work,  1888, 1889 

15,795,596  76 

$1,582,385  12 

COIiPORTAGE   AND  MISSIONARY  WORK. 


Vols. 
Sold. 

Vols. 
Given. 

Pages  of 

Tracts  and 

Periodicals 

Given. 

Sabbath - 

Schools 

Organized 

Board  of  Pub- 
lication, 1849- 
1870 

1,663,316 

973,396 

15,574 

638,219 

246,065 
868,563 

63,471 

33,005,130 

6,058,049 
81,376,698 

9,055,451 

1561 
1,021 

Grants  by  Ex. 
Committee, 

1839-1868  

Board  of  Pub., 

1871-1887 

Board  of  Pub. 
andS.S.Work, 
1888,  1889 

2,652,286 

1,814,318 

129,495,328 

2,582 

OFFICERS  AND  MEMBERS 


I.  BOARD  OF  PUBLICATION. 
1838—1870. 

OFFICEKS. 

Presidents. 

Ashbel  Green,  D.  D.,  1838-1839 

Archibald  Alexander,  D.  D.,  1839-1851 

William  W.  Phillips,  D.  D.,  1852-1865 

William  M.  Engles,  D.  D.,  1865-1867 

Alexander  T.  McGill,  D.  D.,  1867-1870 

Vice-Presidents. 

James  Lenox,  1838-1839 

Alexander  Symington,  1839-1852 

Alexander  W.  Mitchell,  M.  D.,  1852-1862 

Joseph  B.  Mitchell,  1862-1863 

Hon.  George  Sharswood,  LL.D.,  1862-1863 

James  Russell,  1862-1870 

Rev.  William  M.  Engles,  1863-1865 

James  Dunlap,  1863-1865 

Daniel  L.  Collier,  ]  865-1869 

Rev.  George  Junkin,  D.  D.,  1865-1868 

Rev.  Matthew  B.  Grier,  D.  D.,  1868-1870 

Morris  Patterson,  1869-1870 

Treasurers. 

A.  W.  Mitchell,  M.  D.,  1838-1856 

James  Dunlap,  1856-1863 

Winthrop  Sargent,  1863-1870 

221 


222  APPENDIX. 

Editors. 
Eev.  William  M.  Engles,  D.  D.,     1838-1863 
Bev.  William  E.  Schenck,  D.  D.,   1863-1870 

Corresponding  Secretaries, 
Rev.  Joseph  H.  Jones,  D.  D.,  1838-1848 

Eev.  John  Leyburn,  D.  D.,  1848-1852 

Eev.  George  W.  Musgrave,  D.  D.,  1852-1853 
Eev.  B.  M.  Smith,  D.  D.,  1853-1854 

Eev.  William  E.  Schenck,  D.  D.,  1854-1870 

Recording  Secretary. 
Eev.  Joseph  H.  Jones,  D.  D.,         1838-1862 

Recording  Clerk. 
Eev.  WiUard  M.  Eice,  D.  D.,  1862-1870 

Publishing  Agents. 

William  S.  Martien,  1838-1840 

James  Eussell,  1840-1842 

Paul  T.  Jones,  1842-1844 

Joseph  P.  Engles,  1845-1861 

Superintendent  of  Colportage. 
Winthrop  Sargent,  1854-1870 

Superintendent  of  Colportage  and  Business  Correspondent. 
Winthrop  Sargent,  1861-1870 

Superintendent  of  Depository. 
John  A.  Black,*  1855-1870 

Publisher  of  Periodicals. 
Peter  Walker,  1863-1870 

*Mr.  Black  entered  the  service  of  the  Board  in  its  Depository, 
June,  1840. 


APPENDIX. 


223 


MEMBEKS. 


Ministers. 

Archibald  Alexander,  D.  D.,  1838-1851 

James  W.  Alexander,  D.  D.,  1847-1857 

William  Alexander,  D.  D.,  1869-1870 

S.  P.  J.  Anderson,  D.  D.,  1851-1866 

John  C.  Backus,  D.  D.,  1840-1870 

William  Bannard,  D.  D.,  1857-1870 

Charles  C.  Beatty,  D.  D.,  1838-1855 

John  L.  Belville,  1838-1839 

K  T.  Berry,  1847-1863 

Andrew  M.  Beveridge,  1864-1870 

William  M.  Blackburn,  D.  D.,  1864-1870 

William  Blackwood,  D.  D.,  1851-1867 

William  Blair,  1838-1839 

John  Breckenridge,  D.  D.,  1840-1841 

Robert  J.  Breckenridge,  D.  D.,  1838-1870 
William  L.  Breckenridge,  D.  D.,    1838-1870 

Henry  A.  Boardman,  D.  D.  1838-1864 

William  P.  Breed,  D.  D.,  1855-1870 

N.  C.  Burt,  1838-1839 

David  R.  Campbell,  1864-1870 

John  N.  Campbell,  D.  D.,  1838-1864 

William  C.  Cattell,  D.  D.,  1863-1870 
John  Chester,  D.  D.,  1869-1870 

William  Chester,  D.  D.,  1847-1860 
John  H.  Church,  D.  D.,  1838-1841 

Henry  Steele  Clark,  D.  D.,  1853-1859 

Nathaniel  W.  Conkling,  D.  D.,       1863-1870 
James  M.  Crowell,  D.  I).,  1857-1870 

James  Culbertson,  1838-1847 

Cornelius  C.  Cuyler,  D.  D.,  1838-1851 

Theodore  L.  Cuyler,  D.  D.,  1851-1857 

David  A.  Cunningham,  D.  D.,        1867-1870 


224 


APPENDIX. 


Members. 

J.  Leroy  Davies,  1838-1844 

K.  W.  Dickinson,  D.  D.,  1866-1870 

Cyrus  Dickson,  D.  D.,  1857-1870 

James  L.  Dinwiddie,  1840-1841 

John  T.  Edgar,  D.  D.,  1838-1860 

David  Elliott,  D.  D.,  1838-1870 

William  M.  Engles,  D.  D.,  1838-1867 

Daniel  Gaston,  1862-1865 

Abraham  Gosman,  D.  D.,  1866-1870 

John  Gray,  D.  D.,  1838-1868 

Ashbel  Green,  D.  D.,  1838-1847 

William  Henry  Green,  D.  D.,  1864-1870 

J.  A.  Gretter,  1849-1853 

P.  D.  Gurley,  D.  D.,  1866-1869 

George  Hale,  D.  D.,  1858-1870 

John  Hall,  D.  D.,  Trenton,  N.  J.,  1 1842-1857 

'  1 1863-1864 

John  Hall,  D.  D.,  New  York,  1868-1870 

William  T.  Hamilton,  D.  D.,  1840-1854 

F.  R.  Harbaugh,  1862-1870 

N.  H.  Harding,  D.  D.,  1842-1849 

George  C.  Heckman,  D.  D.,  1868-1870 

E.  W.  Henry,  D.  D.,  1862-1870 

James  Hoge,  D.  D,,  1838-1864 

W.  J.  Hoge,  D.  D.,  1860-1864 

William  H.  Hornblower,  D.  D.,  1860-1870 

James  W.  Hoyt,  1860-1863 

E.  P.  Humphrey,  D.  D.,  1851-1870 

Charles  K.  Imbrie,  D.  D.  1861-1870 

J.  J.  Janeway,  D.  D.,  1840-1858 

Thomas  L.  Janeway,  D.  D.,  1841-1851 

Charles  C.  Jones,  D.  D.,  1839-1851 

Joseph  H.  Jones,  D.  D.,  1838-1869 

George  Junkin,  D.  D.,  1862-1869 


APPENDIX. 


225 


Members. 

Alfred  H.  Kellogg,  D.  D.,  1865-1870 

James  H.  M.  Knox,  D.  D.,  1860-1870 

John  M.  Krebs,  D.  D.,  1838-1868 

James  Laurie,  D.  D.,  1839-1847 

A.  B.  Lawrence,  1838-1840 

John  Leyburn,  D.  D.,  1850-1861 

Willis  Lord,  D.  D.,  1841-1851 

William  Loughridge,  1842-1847 

John  M.  Lowrie,  D.  D.,  1863-1866 

Alexander  Maclin,  D.  D.,  1840-1860 

John  McDowell,  D.  D.,  1840-1863 

Alexander  T.  McGill,  D.  D.,  1849-1870 

J.  L.  McKee,  D.  D.,  1867-1870 

James  W.  McKennan,  1838-1861 

William  E.  McLaren.  1867-1870 

G.  W.  McPhail,  D.  D.,  1860-1866 
William  M.  McPheeters,  D.  D.,      1838-1842 

William  C.  Matthews,  D.  D.,  1838-1870 

John  Miller,  1850-1857 

Samuel  Miller,  D.  D.,  1838-1850 

Joshua  Moore,  1838-1855 

James  Morrison,  1838-1865 

Eobert  M.  Morrison,  D.  D.,  1844-1864 

Philip  H.  Mowry,  D.  D.,  1863-1867 

Nicholas  Murray,  D.  D.,  1838-1857 

George  W.  Musgrave,  D.  D.,  1838-1857 

Alfred  Nevin,  D.  D.,  1858-1866 

J.  Howard  Nixon,  D.  D.,  1864-1870 

S.  M.  Osmond,  D.  D.,  1869-1870 

Roger  Owen,  D.  D.,  1869-1870 

William  M.  Paxton,  D.  D.,  1866-1870 

William  W.  Phillips,  D.  D.,  1838-1865 

William  S.  Plumer,  D.  D.,  1838-1863 

George  Potts,  D.  D.,  1838-1861 
15 


226 


APPENDIX. 


Members. 

N.  S.  Prime,  1839-1843 

G.  Wendell  Prime,  D.  D.,  1864-1867 

J.  Grier  Ralston,  D.  D.,  1863-1870 

Alexander  Reed,  D.  D.,  1865-1870 

Nathan  L.  Rice,  D.  D.,  1860-1870 

Willard  M.  Rice,  D.  D.,  1860-1870 

R.  W.  Richardson,  D.  D.  1867-1870 

William  C.  Roberts,  D.  D.,  1862-1870 

Stuart  Robinson,  D.  D.  1851-1866 

J.  E.  Rockwell,  D.  D.,  1857-1870 

Robert  F.  Sample,  D.  D.,  1868-1870 

William  E.  Schenck,  D.  D.,  1852-1870 

William  A.  Scott,  D.  D.,  1846-1861 
Thomas  H.  Skinner,  Jr.,  D.  D.,      1868-1870 

Benjamin  M.  Smith,  D.  D.,  1852-1863 

Reuben  Smith,  1840-1860 

Thomas  Smyth,  D.  D.  1839-1863 
William  D.  Snodgrass,  D.  D.,         1840-1870 

Benjamin  Spillman,  1838-1858 

William  B.  Sprague,  D.  D.,  1840-1870 

Gardner  Spring,  D.  D.,  1840-1860 

J.  O.  Stedman,  D.  D.,  1858-1861 

William  K.  Stewart,  1838-1854 

Charles  Stillman,  1858-1861 

Morris  C.  Sutphen,  D.  D.,  1863-1870 

Andrew  Todd,  1838-1851 

Archibald  Tudehope,  1840-1852 

Henry  J.  Van  Dyke,  D.  D.  1857-1863 

C.  Van  Rensselaer,  D.  D.,  1848-1852 

James  C.  Watson,  D.  D.,  1859-1870 

Ansley  D.  White,  1869-1870 

William  S.  White,  D.  D.,  1852-1864 

H.  R.  Wilson,  D.  D.,  1841-1849 

Joshua  L.  Wilson,  D.  D.,  1838-1847 


APPENDIX. 


227 


Ministers. 

S.  B.  Wilson,  D.  D.,  1838-1862 

S.  R.  Wilson,  D.  D.,  1847-1866 

S.  G.  Winchester,  1838-1841 

John  Witherspoon,  D.  D.,  ]  838-1850 

Thomas  S.  Witherspoon,  1838-1840 

Edward  W.  Wright,  D.  D.,  1864-1867 

John  W.  Yeomans,  D.  D.,  1840-1864 

Laymen  and  Elders. 

Solomon  Allen,  1838-1846 

Stephen  Alexander,  LL.D.,  1859-1870 

Hugh  Auchincloss,  1838-1856 

Micah  Baldwin,  1844-1845 

Richard  Barnett,  1858-1862 

Abijah  Bayless,  1838-1847 

Aaron  B.  Belknap,  1862-1870 

Gustavus  S.  Benson,  1867-1870 

Joseph  Biggar,  1838-1840 

Henry  C.  Blair,  1845-1863 

Peter  Boyd,  1842-1857 

William  S.  Boyd,  1869-1870 

Corbin  Braxton,  1851-1852 

Robert  H.  Burton,  1838-1840 

Henry  L.  Butler,  1867-1870 

W.  W.  Caldwell,  1867-1869 

D.  C.  Campbell,  1838-1863 

Hovey  K.  Clark,  1867-1870 

Charles  Collins,  1840-1850 

Daniel  L.  Collier,  1862-1869 

Gilbert  Combs,  1864-1870 

David  Comfort,  1862-1864 

A.  B.  Conger,  1863-1869 

Robert  Cornelius,  1868-1870 

T.  Craig,  1842-1850 


228 


APPENDIX. 


Laymen  and  Elders. 

Harmer  Denny,  1838-1852 

James  N.  Dickson,  1840-1867 

George  Douglass,  1841-1857 

Charles  D.  Drake,  1869-1870 

William  E.  DuBois,  1848-1858 

William  Dulty,  1840-1853 

Charles  B.  Dungan,              '  1850-1862 

James  Duulap,  1841-1866 

Thomas  B.  Dwight,  1863-1866 

William  Elmer,  1869-1870 

Joseph  P.  Engles,  1839-1861 

F.  A.  Ewing,  1842-1858 

Hon.  Nathaniel  Ewing,  1888-1859 

B.  A.  Fahnestock,  1850-1862 

George  W.  Fahnestock,  1863-1869 

George  W.  Farrington,  1858-1869 

Ebenezer  FJinn,  1838-1840 

Thomas  Foote,  1847-1870 

S.  Franklin,  1839-1851 

Thomas  Franklin,  1838-1840 

E.  B.  Fuller,  1861-1870 

Samuel  Galloway,  1866-1 870 

John  E.  Gould,  1860-1863 

David  Hadden,  1853-1865 

J.  Hall,  1839-1842 

William  R.  Hanson,  1840-1858 

John  M.  Harper,  1867-1868 

Fulton  W.  Hastings,  1866-1870 

John  Hemphill,  1840-1842 

Thomas  Henderson,  1838-1864 

Alexander  Henry,  1840-1848 

Joseph  Henry,  LL.D.,  1858-1870 

T.  Charlton  Henry,  1866-1870 

Silas  Holmes,  1852-1860 


APPENDIX. 


229 


Laymen  and  Elders. 

H.  Lenox  Hodge,  M.  D.,  1869-1870 

James  Imbrie,  1853-1866 

William  A.  Ingham,  1861-1867 

Edwin  S.  Jaffray,  1860-1870 

Robert  Jaffray,  1838-1846 

Barton  H.  Jenks,  1866-1870 

William  Jamison,  1864-1867 

John  Taylor  Johnson,  1869-1870 

James  Johnson,  1838-1852 

Joel  Jones,  LL.D.,  1840-1860 

X.     ,  r^   T  f  1840-1841 

Paul  T.  Jones,  1 1850-1853 

George  Junkin,  Jr.,  1858-1870 

Victor  King,  1838-1864 

Strickland  Kneass,  1861-1870 

Hon.  H.  H.  Leavitt,  1838-1870 

Samuel  A.  Lewis,  1857-1858 

William  T.  Lewis,  1866-1870 

Theodore  Little,  1863-1870 

James  Lenox,  1838-1870 

Charles  Macalester,  1853-1860 

Archibald  McClure,  1858-1870 

John  D.  McCord,  1869-1870 

Robert  H.  McEwen,  1838-1853 

Archibald  Mclntyre,  1840-1870 

Henry  McKeen,  1840-1870 

Thomas  McKeen,  1838-1859 

Hon.  Robert  McKnight,  1868-1870 

R.  H.  McNair,  1841-1850 

J.  B.  Martin,  1838-1857 

Alfred  Martien,  1865-1870 

William  S.  Martien,  1840-1861 

Joseph  B.  Mitchell,  1838-1864 
Alexander  W.  Mitchell,  M.  D.,       1838-1862 


230 


APPENDIX. 


Laymen  and  Elders. 
John  MoUyneaux, 
George  Morris, 
Joseph  Moorhead, 
Mahlon  Mulford, 
George  C.  Naphys, 
Matthew  Newkirk, 
David  Olyphant, 
James  Otterson,  Jr., 
J.  W.  Pain, 
Eobert  M.  Patton, 
Morris  Patterson, 
Ananias  Piatt, 
Ebenezer  Piatt, 
J.  W.  Piatt, 

Hon.  William  A.  Porter, 
W.  A.  G.  Posey, 
Stacy  G.  Potts, 
Henry  Rankin, 

James  M.  Ray, 

William  S.  Reed, 
Archibald  Robinson, 
James  B.  Ross, 
James  Russell, 
Martin  Ryerson, 
George  G.  Sampson, 

Winthrop  Sargent, 

David  A.  Sayer, 

James  Schoonmaker, 

Hon.  George  Sharswood,  LL.D., 

G.  G.  Sherrard, 

J.  M.  Sherwood, 

John  Sibley, 


1838-1853 

1838-1847 
1859-1863 
1867-1870 
1861-1869 
1838-1868 
1866-1870 
1862-1866 
1838-1839 
1858-1862 
1857-1870 
1838-1842 
1846-1865 
1838-1845 
1858-1866 
1838-1845 
1850-1861 
1838-1841 
1 1840-1858 
1 1866-1870 
1869-1870 
1840-1859 
1846-1867 
1838-1870 
1864-1870 
1857-1867 
f 1842-1844 
t 1853-1S70 
1850-1870 
1852-1859 
1852-1870 
1859-1860 
1860-1870 
1856-1870 


APPENDIX. 


231 


Laymen  and  Elders. 

Robert  Soutter,  1844-1866 

James  Ross  Snowden,  1857-1870 

W.  B.  Spence,  1853-1857 

Samuel  S.  Spencer,  1858-1870 

John  Still6,  1838-1842 

John  C.  Stockton,  1838-1858 

Robert  L.  Stuart,  1850-1870 

Alexander  Symington,  1838-1852 

Enoch  Taylor,  1861-1867 

Alfred  Thomas,  1862-1866 

Henry  E.  Thomas,  1863-1870 

William  R.  Thompson,  1860-1861 

Charles  N.  Todd,  1864-1870 

E.  Vail,  1842-1863 

Adrian  Van  Sinderen,  1840-1844 

P.  C.  Venable,  M.  D.,  1838-1858 

P.  A.  Walker,  1838-1858 

William  Walker,  1847-1868 

Henry  Webb,  1852-1859 

James  Weir,  1838-1850 

Silas  E.  Weir,  1857-1869 

Jesse  L.  Williams,  1866-1870 

William  Wilson,  1838-1850 

John  R,  Witherspoon,  1838-1858 

John  F.  Woodhall,  1838-1842 

James  T.  Young,  1860-1870 


232 


APPENDIX. 


II.   PUBLICATION  COMMITTEE. 
1852-1870. 


1852-1870 


1852-1854 
1855-1857 


1857-1870 


OFFICERS. 
Chairman. 
Eev.  Albert  Barnes, 

Secretaries. 
Eev.  John  McKnight, 
Rev.  Wm.  H.  Spencer, 

Secretary  and  Editor. 
Rev.  John  W.  Dulles, 

Business  Superintendent. 
Rev.  Samuel  W.  Crittenden,  1865-1870 

Treasurers. 

Rev.  John  McKnight,  1852-1854 

William  Purves,  1854-1860 

William  L.  Hildeburn,  1860-1870 

MEMBERS. 

Ministers. 

E.  E.  Adams,  D.  D.,  1862-1868 

Albert  Barnes,  1852-1870 

N.  S.  S.  Beman,  D.  D.,  1854-1870 

A.  H.  H.  Boyd,  D.  D.,  1854-1857 

Thomas  Brainerd,  D.  D.,  1852-1861 

J.  Glentworth  Butler,  D.  D.,  1857-1870 

George  Chandler,  1853-1854 

Henry  Darling,  D.  D.,  1854-1868 


APPENDIX. 


233 


Ministers, 

George  Duffield,  Jr.,  1852-1862 

William  Eagleton,  D.  D.,  1854-1857 

E.  W.  Gilbert,  D.  D.,  1852-1853 

Samuel  H.  Gridley,  D.  D.,  1854-1862 

Z.  M.  Humphrey,  D.  D.,  1868-1870 

John  Jenkins,  D.  D.,  1854-1863 

Herrick  Johnson,  D.  D.,  1868-1870 

Daniel  March,  D.  D.,  1863-1870 

William  E.  Moore,  D.  D.,  1857-1870 

Thomas  J.  Shepherd,  D.  D.,  1862-1870 

Thomas  H.  Skinner,  D.  D.,  1852-1853 

Asa  Smith,  D.  D.,  1852-1864 

Samuel  T.  Spear,  D.  D.,  1854-1862 

Jonathan  F.  Stearns,  D.  D.,  1852-1854 

Benjamin  J.  Wallace,  1854-1857 

George  F.  Wiswell,  D.  D.,  1857-1870 

Laymen. 

Frank  L.  Bodine,  1861-1870 

T.  S.  Bodine,  1852-1857 

Hon.  AVm.  Darling,  1852-1854 

John  C.  Farr,  1858-1859 

William  F.  Judson,  1865-1868 

Samuel  H.  Perkins,  1853-1857 

Samuel  C.  Perkins,  1858-1870 

Hon.  William  Strong,  1858-1868 

William  E.  Tenbrook,  1863-1870 

Benjamin  T.  Tredick,  1857-1858 

Alexander  Whilldin,  1864-1870 

Hon.  Kobert  N.  Willson,  1869-1870 

Charles  S.  Wurts,  1854-1859 

Charles  S.  Wurts,  M.  D.,  1859-1865 


234 


APPENDIX. 


III.  BOAKD  OF  PUBLICATION. 
1870—1887. 

OFFICEKS. 

Presidents. 

Rev.  Alexander  Reed,  D.  D.,  1870-1874 

Rev.  Z.  M.  Humphrey,  D.  D.,         1874-1875 

Rev.  Wm.  P.  Breed,  D.  D.,  1875-1887 

Vice-Presidents. 

Hon.  Joseph  Allison,  1870-1887 

Morris  Patterson,  1870-1875 

Rev.  Matthew  B.  Grier,  D.  D.,  1870-1871 

Rev.  George  W.  Musgrave,  D.  D.,  1871-1873 

Rev.  Z.  M.  Humphrey,  D.  D.,  1873-1874 

Rev.  Wm.  P.  Breed,  D.  D.,  1874-1875 

Rev.  Joseph  M.  Crowell,  D.  D.,  1875-1883 

Rev.  Thomas  J.  Shepherd,  D.  D.,  1875-1887 

Rev.  J.  A.  Henry,  D.  D.,  1883-1886 

Hon.  Robert  N.  Willson,  1885-1887 

Rev.  William  T.  Eva,  D.  D.,  1886-1887 

Corresponding  Secretary. 
Rev.  William  E.  Schenck,  D.  D.,    1870-1886 

Editorial  Secretary. 
Rev.  John  W.  Dulles,  D.  D.,  1870-1887 

Secretary  of  Sabbath-School  Work. 

Rev.  James  A.  Worden,  D.  D.,*     1880-1887 

*  Appointed  by  the  General  Assembly. 


APPENDIX.  235 

General  Secretaries, 

Eev.  John  W.  Dulles,  D.  D.  *  1887 

Eev.  E.  R.  Craven,  D.  D.,t  1887 

Superintendents  of  Colportage. 

Winthrop  Sargent,  1870-1873 

Samuel  D.  Powel,  1873-1887 

Superintendent  of  Sabbath-School  Work. 

J.  Bennet  Tyler,  1872-1876 

Rev.  James  A.  Worden,  1878-1880 

Business  Superintendent. 

John  A.  Black,  1870-1887 

Treasurers. 

Winthrop  Sargent,  1870-1873 

Samuel  D.  Powel,  1873-1887 

Recording  Clerh. 

Rev.  Willard  M.  Rice,  D.  D.,  1870-1887 

Editor. 

Rev.  J.  R.  Miller,  D.  D.,t  1887 

MEMBERS. 

Ministers. 

Benjamin  L.  Agnew,  D.  D.,  1870-1873 

George  Alexander,  D.  D.,  1886-1887 

Richard  H.  Allen,  D.  D.,  1870-1880 

R.  R.  Booth,  D.  D.,  1874-1875 

William  P.  Breed,  D.  D.,  1870-1887 

James  M.  Crowell,  D.  D.,  1871-1883 

*  Elected  .January  18,  1887;  died  April  13,  1887. 

t  Elected  May  10,  1887. 

%  Elected  January  18,  1887. 


236 


APPENDIX. 


Ministers. 

David  A.  Cunningham,  D.  D.,  1870-1877 

Stephen  W.  Dana,  D.  D.,  1870-1883 

Charles  A.  Dickey,  D.  D.,  1875-1887 

John  W.  Dulles,  D.  D.,  1870-1887 

William  T.  Eva,  D.  D.,  1870-1887 

Loyal  Young  Graham,  D.  D.,  1877-1887 

William  Greenough,  1877-1886 

Rufus  S.  Green,  1881-1882 

William  Brenton  Greene,  Jr.,  1886-1887 

Matthew  B.  Grier,  D.  D.,  1870-1872 

F.  E.  Harbaugh,  1870-1872 

J.  Addison  Henry,  D.  D.,  1872-1886 

Z.  M.  Humphrey,  D.  D.,  1870-1875 

TT      .  1    T  1,           T»  T^  i  1870-1874 

Herrick  Johnson,  D.  D,  |  ^^^^_^^^j 

William  E.  Jones,  D.  D.,  1878-1886 

John  S.  Macintosh,  D.  D.,  1883-1887 

Daniel  March,  D.  D.,  1870-1878 

William  E.  Moore,  D.  D.,  1870-1873 

Thomas  Murphy,  D.  D.,  1870-1887 

George  W.  Musgrave,  D.  D.,  1872-1883 

Samuel  A.  Mutchmore,  D.  D.,  1874-1887 

Matthew  Newkirk,  D.  D.,  1870-1887 

Samuel  J.  Niccolls,  D.  D.,  1884-1887 

Roger  Owen,  D.  D.,  1875-1887 

Robert  M.  Patterson,  D.  D.,  1870-1887 

J.  Grier  Ralston,  D.  D.,  1870-1881 

Alexander  Reed,  D.  D.,  1870-1887 

Willard  M.  Rice,  D.  D.,  1870-1887 
William  Dayton  Roberts,  D.  D.,     1883-1887 

William  H.  Roberts,  D.  D.,  1886-1887 

John  S.  Sands,  D.  D.,  1883-1887 

William  E.  Schenck,  D.  D.,  1870-1887 

J.  Henry  Sharpe,  D.  D.,  1873-1887 


APPENDIX. 


237 


Ministers. 

Thomas  J.  Shepherd,  D.  D.,  1870-1887 

H.  Augustus  Smith,  D.  D.,  1870-1883 

Peter  Stryker,  D.  D.,  1870-1871 

Marvin  R.  Vincent,  D.  D.,  1875-1876 

John  L.  Withrow,  D.  D.,  1873-1874 

James  A.  Worden,  D.  D.,  1880-1887 

Laymen  and  Elders. 

William  Adamson,  1878-1880 

Hon.  Joseph  Allison,  LL.D.,  1870-1887 

Theodore  W.  Baker,  1871-1886 

Gustavus  S.  Benson,  1870-1883 

Charles  S.  Biles,  1875-1887 

Henry  C.  Blair,  1882-1887 

Edward  P.  Borden,  1883-1887 

William  Brockie,  1876-1887 

Stanton  Cady,  1877-1880 

William  E.  Camp,  1870-1877 

Joseph  M.  Collingwood,  1883-1887 

Gilbert  Combs,  1870-1872 

Samuel  A.  Coyle,  1879-1883 

William  L.  DuBois,  1880-1887 

Hon.  John  K.  Findlay,  1876-1882 

John  B.  Gest,  1875-1876 

Hon.  George  S.  Graham,  1884-1887 

T.  Charlton  Henry,  1878-1879 

William  L.  Hildeburn,  1870-1872 

John  Hill,  1881-1882 

Robert  H.  Hinckley,  1880-1887 
Frank  K.  Hippie,                          .   1886-1887 

H.  Lenox  Hodge,  M.  D.,  1870-1878 

James  Hogg,  1875-1876 

Edward  R.  Hutchins,  M.  D.,  1870-1872 

George  Junkin,  1870-1876 


238 


APPENDIX. 


Laymen  and  Elders. 

Ezra  M.  Kingsley, 

Strickland  Kneass, 

Horatio  B.  Lincoln, 

John  A.  Linn, 

William  L.  Mactier, 

John  D.  McCord, 

William  J.  McElroy, 

Archibald  Mclntyre, 

George  W.  Mears, 

Edward  Miller, 

William  Montelius, 

William  G.  Moorhead, 

George  C.  Napheys. 

Robert  C.  Ogden, 

Edwin  Packard, 

Morris  Patterson, 

Henry  N.  Paul, 

Samuel  C.  Perkins, 

William  F.  Eaynolds, 

Hon.  E.  A.  Rollins, 
Winthrop  Sargent, 
Hon.  John  Scott, 
John  Sibley, 
George  W.  Simons, 
William  T.  Snodgrass, 
James  Ross  Snowden, 
William  E.  Tenbrook, 
Henry  E.  Thomas, 
John  H.  Watt, 
Alexander  Whilldin, 
George  F.  Wiggan, 
Hon.  Robert  N.  Willson, 
William  Wood, 
James  T.  Young, 


1874-1875 

1872-1874 

1870-1877 

1875-1882 

1878-1887 

1870-1887 

1873-1878 

1870-1887 

1872-1887 

1870-1872 

1872-1883 

1872-1876 

1877-1880 

1882-1887 

1886-1887 

1870-1875 

1870-1887 

1870-1887 

1882-1886 

1876-1886 

1870-1874 

1883-1887 

1870-1883 

1870-1874 

1872-1873 

1870-1878 

1870-1881 

1870-1871 

1876-1887 

1870-1872 

1882-1887 

1870-1887 

1880-1887 

1870-1882 


APPENDIX.  239 


IV.  BOARD  OF  PUBLICATION  AND 
SABBATH-SCHOOL  WORK. 

OFFICERS. 

Presidents. 
Rev.  William  P.  Breed,  D.  D.,        1887-1889 
Hon.  Robert  N.  Willson,  1889- 

Vice- Presidents, 
Hon.  Robert  N.  Willson,  1887-1889 

Rev.  Benjamin  L.  Agnew,  D.  D.,    1889- 

Secretary. 
Rev.  E.  R.  Craven,  D.  D.,  1887- 

Sabhath-School  and  Missionary  Superintendent, 
Rev.  James  A.  Worden,  D.  D.,       1887- 


Editorial  Superintendent. 
Rev.  J.  R.  Miller,  D.  D.,  1887- 

Business  Superintendent. 
John  A.  Black,  1887- 

Recording  Clerk. 
Rev.  Willard  M.  Rice,  D.  D.,         1887- 

Treasurers. 
Samuel  D.  Powel,*  1887 

Rev.  Charles  T.  McMullin,  1887- 

*Died  August  24,  1887. 


240 


APPENDIX. 

MEMBERS. 

Ministers. 

Benjamin  L.  Agnew,  D.  D., 

1887- 

William  P.  Breed,  D.  D., 

1887-1889 

Charles  A.  Dickey,  D.  D., 

1887- 

Robert  H.  Fulton,  D.  D., 

1887- 

Loyal  Y.  Graham,  D.  D., 

1877- 

Wm.  Brenton  Greene,  Jr., 

1887- 

John  Hemphill,  D.  D., 

1889- 

Thomas  A.  Hoyt,  D.  D., 

1887- 

Henry  C.  McCook,  D.  D., 

1887- 

C.  P.  H.  Nason, 

1889- 

Robert  M.  Patterson,  D.  D., 

1887- 

Wm.  Dayton  Roberts,  D.  D., 

1887- 

John  S.  Sands,  D.  D., 

1887-1889 

Charles  Wood,  D.  D., 

1887- 

Elders. 

William  W.  Allen, 

1888- 

Charles  H.  Biles, 

1887- 

Edward  P.  Borden,* 

1887 

William  Brockie, 

1887- 

William  L.  DuBois, 

1887- 

Hon.  George  S.  Graham, 

1887- 

Robert  H.  Hinckley, 

1887- 

William  L.  Mactier,* 

1887 

John  D.  McCord,* 

1887 

Archibald  Mclntyre, 

1887- 

Samuel  C.  Perkins, 

1887- 

Francis  B.  Reeves, 

1888- 

Hon.  John  Scott, 

1887- 

John  H.  Watt, 

1887- 

Hon.  Robert  N.  Willson, 

1887- 

William  Wood,* 

1887 

*  Declined. 

APPENDIX.  241 

TRUSTEES  OF  THE  BOARD. 

(Incorporated  in  1847.) 

James  N.  Dickson,  1847-1850 

James  Dunlap,  1847-1865 

William  S.  Martien,  1847-1861 

Archibald  Mclntyre,  1847- 

A.  W.  Mitchell,  M.  D.,  1847-1861 
Joseph  B.  Mitchell,  1847-1863 
James  B.  Ross,  1847-1859 
Robert  Soutter,  Jr.,  1847-1850 
Matthew  Newkirk,  1847-1868 

B.  A.  Fahnestock,  1850-1859 

C.  B.  Dungan,  1850-1854 

George  Sharswood,  1854-1870 

Charles  Macalester,  1856-1860 

William  A.  Porter,  1859-1867 

James  Russell,  1860-1870 

William  A.  Ingham,  1861-1867 

w  .1,        «          .  (]  861-1870 

Winthrop  Sargent,  1 1871-1874 

Daniel  L.  Collier,  1863-1869 

George  Junkin,  Jr.,  1865-1876 

Morris  Patterson,  1867-1875 

W.  W.  Caldwell,  1867-1869 

J.  Ross  Snowden,  1868-1877 

John  D.  McCord,  1869- 

Alexander  Whilldin,  1870-1872 

Samuel  C.  Perkins,  1870- 

William  E.  Tenbrook,  1870-1881 

Robert  N.  Willson,  1870- 

Gustavus  S.  Benson,  1875-1 883 

John  B.  Gest,  1875-1876 

James  T.  Young,  1876-1882 

John  K.  Findlay,  1876-1882 

Hon.  E.  A.  Rollins,  1877-1885 
16 


242  APPENDIX. 

Trustees  of  the  Board. 
(Incorporated  in  1&47). 

William  L.  Mactier,  1881-1887 

William  L.  DuBois,  1882- 

Henry  N.  Paul,  1882- 

W.  F.  Eaynolds,  1883-1885 

Frank  K.  Hippie,  1886- 

George  W.  Mears,  1886-1887 

David  C.  Golden,  1888- 

Asahel  A.  Shumway,  1888- 


INDEX. 


ALEXANDER)  Rev.  Archibiild,  D.  D.,  13. 
American  Bible  Society,  7. 
American  Sunday-School  Union,  8. 
American  Tract  Society,  8. 
Appendix  : 

Charter,  211-213. 

Cash  Receipts,  214-216. 

Colporteur  Work,  217,  218,  219. 

Grants  by  Executive  Committee,  217,  218. 

General  Summary,  219. 

Succession  of  Oflacers  and  Members,  221-240. 
Assembly  Review  and    Supervision,  33-39 ;   52,  56,  58,  91,  98,  129, 

193,  195. 
Auditing  Committee,  85. 

Babnes,  Albert,  50,  68. 

Board  of  Publication  of  Tracts  and  Sabbath-School  Books : 

Organized  by  General  Assembly,  11. 

Original  Officers  and  Members,  12,  13. 

First  Annual  Report,  14. 

Name  changed,  15. 

of  the  Reunited  Church  organized,  84. 

Succession  of  Officers  and  Members,  221-231. 
Board  of  Publication  and  Sabbath-School  Work,  167-210. 

Sabbath-School  and  Missionary  Department,  198-202. 

Editorial  Department,  202-204. 

Business  Department,  204-209. 

Succession  of  Officers  and  Members,  225. 
Bookstore,  20,  55,  89. 
Breed,  Rev.  AVm.  P.,  D.  D.,  209,  210. 

243 


244  INDEX. 

Building  Committee,  86. 
Business  Committee,  85. 
Business  Superintendent : 

Eev.  S.  W.  Crittenden,  60. 

John  A.  Black,  84,  197. 

Capital  of  Board,  45,  85,  207. 

of  Publication  Committee,  59,  69. 
Catalogue,  Descriptive,  37,  88,  207. 
Catechism  for  Young  Children,  26,  29. 

Shorter,  24,  29,  124. 
Changes  in  Organization,  153. 
Charter  of  Board,  211-213. 
Children's  Day,  201. 
Church  at  Home  and  Abroad,  205. 
Colportage,  20,  30,  61,  63,  98. 

Assembly,  approval,  22,  23,  30,  63,  98-101,  101-109. 
Superintendent  of : 

Winthrop  Sargent,  24. 
Samuel  D.  Powel,  96. 
Office  abolished,  103. 
District  Superintendents  of,  30,  101. 
Office  abolished,  105. 
Committee  on  Changes  in  Sunday-School   Department,  Assembly 
1876,  133. 
on  Changes  in  Missionary  Department,  Assembly  1881,  102. 
of  Investigation,  Assembly's,  1862,  53. 
of  Investigation,  Assembly's,  1884,  144. 
of  Board,  on  changes  in  organization  of  Board,  147. 
Assembly's,  1886,  163. 
Keport  of,  167-193. 
Confession  of  Faith,  29. 
Constitution  of  the  Board,  15-17. 
Corresponding  Secretaries : 

Rev.  Joseph  H.  Jones,  D.  D.,  13. 

Rev.  John  Leyburn,  D.  D.,  22,  24. 

Rev.  George  Musgrave,  D.  D.,  24. 

Rev.  B.  M.  Smith,  D.  D.,  24. 

Rev.  Wm.  E.  Schenck,  D.  D.,  24,  84,  146,  182. 


INDEX.  246 

Declaration  of  Trust,  58. 

Depositories  and  Branch  Houses,  90,  178,  206. 

Digest,  94. 

Distribution  Fund,  21,  38,  214. 

Dodge,  Hon.  Wm.  E.,  legacy  of,  107. 

Dulles,  Rev.  John  W.,  D.  D. : 

Secretary  and  Editor,  56. 

Editorial  Secretary,  84. 

General  Secretary,  154. 

Death  of,  154-160. 

Editorial  Assistant,  Rev.  J.  R.  Miller,  129. 

Editor,  Rev.  J.  R.  Miller,  D,  D.,  154. 

Editorial  Superintendent,  Rev.  J.  R.  Miller,  D.  D.,  197. 

End  of  First  Decade,  19. 

Second  Decade,  29. 

Third  Decade,  38. 
Engles,  Joseph  P.,  25-27. 
Engles,  Rev.  Wm.  M.,  D.  D.,  40. 

Forward,  128. 

General  Secretary  : 

Rev.  John  W.  Dulles,  D.  D.,  154. 

Rev.  E.  R.  Craven,  D.  D.,  160. 
Grants  by  Missionary  Committee,  107,  199. 
Green,  John  C,  Fund,  97. 

Home  and  Foreign  Record,  28,  92. 

Literature  of  the  Board,  28,  32,  60,  70,  206, 207, 

Missionary  Committee,  85, 101. 

Department,  97. 

Assembly's  Special  Committee  on,  102-104. 

Important  changes,  104,  105. 
Morning  Star,  125. 

New  Board  organized  1870,  84. 


246  INDEX. 

New  Board  organized  1887,  196,  197. 
New  Publication  House,  85-88. 
Normal  Class  Instruction,  130. 

Periodicaij  Committee,  85. 
Periodicals,  124-129. 
Phillips,  Rev.  W.  W.,  D.  D.,  25. 
Powel,  Samuel  D.,  96,  197. 
Presbyterian  at  Work,  126. 
Presbyterian  Hymnal,  93. 
Presbyterian  Monthly,  60. 
Presbyterian  Monthly  Record,  92. 

Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication,  1838-1870,  7-43;  1870-1887,  73- 
163. 
Constitution  of,  15-17. 
Incorporation,  19. 

Original  Members  and  Officers,  12-13. 
Succession  of  Officers  and  Members,  221-231. 
Presbyterian  Publication  Committee,  47-70. 
Preliminary  Action,  47. 
Appointment,  49,  50. 
Enlarged,  51. 
Name  changed,  51. 

Succession  of  Officers  and  Members,  232,  233. 
Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication  and  Sabbath-School  Work,  167- 
210. 
Organization,  Members  and  Officers,  196,  197. 
Business  Department,  204-209. 
Editorial  Department,  202-204. 

Sabbath-School  and  Missionary  Department,  198-202. 
Succession  of  Officers  and  Members,  239,  240. 
Presbytery  of  Philadelphia  on  Tract  Distribution,  8. 
Price  of  publications  reduced,  206. 
Prize  Bibles  for  recitation  of  Shorter  Catechism,  200. 
Publication  House,  20,  53,  74,  85-88. 
Publishing  Committee,  85. 
Publisher  of  Periodicals,  36. 

Report,  final,  of  0.  S.  Board,  42,  43. 


INDEX.  247 

Report  of  N.  S.  Committee,  70. 

joint  Committee  of  Ten,  74-81. 

Assembly's  Committee  of  1886,  167. 

Standing  Committee  of  Assembly  of  1870,  81-84. 

Standing  Committee  of  Assembly  of  1887,  193-196. 
Reunion  and  Consolidation,  73. 

Sabbath-School  Department,  Report  of  Committee,  109, 

Literature,  32,  119. 

Visitor,.  27,  125. 

Work,  32,  65,  131,  132,  138,  202. 
Sabbath-schools,  identity  of  School  and  Church,  139. 

Statistics,  118,  140,  201. 
Sargent,  Winthrop,  24,  96. 
Schenck,  Rev.  Wm.  E.,  D.  D. : 

Appointment  as  Corresponding  Secretary,  24,  84. 

Resignation,  145. 

Action  of  Board  on,  147,  152. 
Secretary,  Rev.  E.  R.  Craven,  D.  D.,  196. 
Secretary  and  Editor,  Rev.  John  W.  Dulles,  56. 

Decennial  Report,  60. 
Secretary  of  Sabbath-School  Work,  Rev.  James  A.  Warden,  D.  D.,  138. 
Semi-Centenary  Fund,  17. 
Shorter  Catechism,  24,  124. 
Soldiers  and  Sailors,  31. 
Soldiers'  Pocket-Book,  31. 
Succession  of  Officers  and  Members,  221-240. 
Succession  of  Trustees,  241,  242. 
Sunbeam,  127. 

Superintendent  of  Depository,  36. 
Superintendent  of  Sabbath-School  Work  : 

J.  Rennet  Tyler,  116,  133. 

Rev.  James  A.  Worden,  D.  D.,  137. 

Duties  defined,  135. 
Superintendent  of  Sabbath- School  and  Missionary  Work,  Rev.  James 
A.  Worden,  D.  D.,  197. 

Tract  and  Sabbath-School  Book  Society : 
Organized  by  Synod  of  Philadelphia,  8. 


248  INDEX. 

Tract  and  Sabbath-School  Book  Society  : 

Original  Members,  9. 

Transferred  to  General  Assembly,  11. 
Treasurer,  96,  197. 
Trust  Funds,  97,  144. 

Trustees  of  the  Board,  19,  79,  85,  241,  242. 
Trustees  of  the  Presbyterian  House,  54-56. 

Westminster  Lesson  Helps,  121-124. 
Westminster  Teacher,  127. 


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DEMCO  38-297                                                                                          ■ 

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